Burned & Frozen
by A. J. F. Link
Summary: Every individual has their own burdens that he or she must deal with in his or her lifetime. Some are simple or insignificant to the entirety of his or her life. Others are of great significance and have a large impact on the person's life. However, the greatness of the burden that weighs upon Flamorin can only be understood by a person who has an equal burden. That person is Elsa.
1. Chapter 1: Enigmatic Flames

Burned &amp; Frozen

A. J. F. Link

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**Disclaiming Notification: Frozen is owned by Disney, not by me in any manner. The original plotline, storyline, characters, and development belong to Disney. Plagiarism of the original story of Frozen without Disney's permission is a violation of the U.S. Copyright Act, especially in cases of unauthorized personal profit without being granted permission from Disney. Plagiarism of this self-created version of Frozen is a violation of the rules and guidelines of this website.**

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Flamorin's current age compared to flashbacks: 16 years old.

Chapter I: Enigmatic Flames [Flashback: Approximately 6 Years Ago]

"Mom! Dad! Look at what I can do!" I shout while unknowingly disrupting mom's conversation with dad in their bedroom running up to them with hyperactive excitement. This is my third attempt at showing them a neat ability that I accidentally discovered on my own. However, every time I attempted to demonstrate it in front of them, I was too nervous to successfully do it. I am sure that I got it down this time.

"Can do what, Flamorin?" my dad asks with an interested yet fatherly amused tone. My mom has a slight smile upon her lips as she looks at me.

"Watch!" I cup my right hand and try to focus the flow of energy that seems to naturally course throughout my body into the palm of my hand. The only thing that seems to happen is the air around my hand becomes distorted like the effect a fire creates with the air surrounding it.

My dad sighs with frustration. "Son, have you learned nothing from the story The Boy Who Cried Wolf?" Even though I am only ten years old, I knew what my father was implying.

"You think that I'm _lying_?!" I feel my anger spike and flare within me. Heat starts to radiate and distort the air surrounding my entire body, yet mom and dad do not seem to notice.

Mom, being concerned if I have some ailment, places the back of her hand on my forehead for less than a second before she very quickly takes it away. "Ronald! Bring the doctor here quickly! Poor Flamorin is burning up!"

"Mom! I'm not sick!" The output of radiation surrounding my body seems to only increase and become more violent.

"Honey, you don't know that!" Mom says trying to assure me that I am not feeling well. Ironically, for her, I feel completely fine; in fact, this feels completely normal.

"Flamorin, listen to your mother. You shouldn't be making excuses for yourself when you're sick."

"I'm not sick! I'm not LYING!" An inferno erupts around my body, yet leaving me completely unharmed, as my anger seems to force the rapid output of energy being created out of me forcefully. The wooden floor around me ignites into flames. This causes my mother to yelp and jump away from me and my father to take a few steps backwards and mutter some very uncivil words.

"F-Flamorin! I-is this what y-your w-were trying to show u-us?" Dad asks with a look of awe but mostly fear for me.

"Yes!" For some reason, my father's realization of what I have been attempting to do calmed me down. As I begin to calm down, the enigmatic flames that appeared around me dissipated out of existence and the heat radiating from my body cooled down to a temperature that is slightly above the normal body temperature of a person. All the other spontaneously ignited flames extinguish themselves. This puts mom and dad at ease.

"Flamorin, honey!" Mom walks up to me giving me a gentle, motherly hug. "Why didn't you tell us about this sooner?"

"I-I was afraid that you'd get mad or yell at me." Tears begin to form in my eyes.

"We'd _never_ do that, dear!"

Mom gives dad a panic look. "Ronald! We need the doctor _now_!"

"Heather, I don't think this is something that a doctor can help us with."

"Wh—"

"Think about it, Heather. This ability that our son possesses is considered neither common nor normal. In addition, if word of Flamorin's leaks out to the people of Weselton, the revelation may arouse hysteria. Our best option is to bring him to Father Bart. If anyone knows something about Flamorin's ability, he would be the most likely person." Though my father was just as worried about me as my mother, he does not let it seem as obvious as my mother.

Mom looks at me then looks back at dad. She gives an irritated sigh. "Fine. We'll take Flamorin to Father Bart." A small smile developed on my mother's face. "I do not think I've seen him since Flamorin's baptism."

Father Bart is a priest; however, his primary task is being the official Keeper of the Royal Achieves. Why has Father Bart not seen me since I was baptized, which was when I was three years old? Well, several days after having baptized me, Father Bart was relocated to the church in Arendelle, which is approximately 29 kilometers northwest of Weselton, for five years before being sent back to the church in Weselton. To complicate matters more, Father Bart is designated as the substitutionary priest for the church. This means that he only does the service when the main priest is unable to preform it for some reason.

"Well, I can tell you this," dad stated, "he has not changed much since then. Now, Let's get going."

Mom grabs my hand and dad leads the way out of their bedroom making a right down a long hallway until dad halts in front of a large wooden door with a steel knocker on it. Dad knocks three times with the metal knocker and takes two steps backwards while mom and I stand behind dad. After a couple of seconds an opening in the door opens revealing only the occupant's eyes.

"WHAT IS IT NOW CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I—King Ronald and Queen Heather! My apologies! I thought that you were, um, somebody else. Please forgive me!"

"It's alright Father Bart. Was that duke pestering you, again?"

"Yes! Yes! The old fool keeps spouting on about wanting to see some very old records of the construction plans for Weselton. And I kept telling him 'You need the permission from the King and Queen.' However that is not why your not here; is it?"

"No, Father." Dad suddenly becomes very hesitant. "It's…may we come inside to talk?"

"Certainly! Just wait a moment." The viewing slit closes and the sound of a ridiculous number of locks can be heard being unlocked and a wooden creak is heard as the door opens and swings open outward. A man wearing a brown monk-like robe emerges. The man is slightly taller than dad and completely bold with decently long, mahogany-brown beard. However, the most striking physical trait that he possesses is the color of his irises, which are a deep emerald-green.

"Please come inside," Father Bart says in a low volume gesturing for us to enter. Upon entering, my vision is struck with a very large room filled with several rows of bookcases with countless books and scrolls, yet there are still bookshelves that are empty. "Now, what can I help you with, your majesty?"

"Well, it's not me. It's my son, Flamorin." Father Bart looked at dad with a confused gaze before looking at me with the same expression.

"It would be easier for us to explain if Flamorin demonstrates it to you. Show him Flamorin."

I simply hide behind my mother fearing what the man's reaction will be if I show him.

Mom gives me a soft nudge forward. "It's okay, Flamorin. Show Father Bart."

I nod to my mother and cup my hand upward and concentrate on the energy flowing in my body to form a small flame in my hand. The flame appears this time, burning in the palm of my hand yet by no means bringing any pain or harm to me. In contrast, the flame feels pleasant and comforting.

The priest jumps back with wide eyes and the pigment of his skin turns slightly pales. "A-Another one?!"

"Wait you have seen this before?!" I exclaimed with the thrill and shock of the revelation that there is another person like me.

"Y-Yes, Prince Flamorin; however, it was _ice_, not fire."

"Father," mom spoke up in a hopeful yet fearful voice, "is there any way to cure our son from…whatever this is?"

The priest gives a guttural chuckle to my mother's question. "No, No, Queen Heather, it is not an ailment. Believe it or not this is actually completely natural, yet _extremely_ rare. However, I think that it is safe for me to tell you that the firstborn daughter of the king and queen of Arendelle, who, if my memory serves me correctly, is the same age as you, Flamorin. She can do the same things as you, only with ice instead of fire."

My heart is pounding faster racing with anxiety. I _need_ to know who this girl is. "Father, who is she?"

Father Bart gave me a warm smile. "Her name is Princess Elsa."


	2. Chapter 2: The Elementals

A/N: Flamorin's current age compared to flashbacks: 16 years old.

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[Flashback: From Approximately 6 Years to Less Than 1 Year Ago]

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Father Bart did find information on my fire-ability in an ancient tome called The Elementals; however, the author's real name is never given. A pseudonymous name of Deacon X is given instead of an actual name. According to the tome, my igneous ability is the result of, theoretically, an extremely rare hereditary attribute that a child is born possessing. A person born with this ability is known as an _elemental_.

An elemental is born with one of four possible abilities (or elements): fire, ice, lightning, or wood. Coincidentally, the element that an elemental possesses is, in a sense, symbolically shown in two physical characteristics: the color of person's hair _and_ the color of his or her irises. Fire elementals possess ash-black hair and deep ruby-red irises. Ice elementals possess platinum blonde hair and sapphire-azure blue irises. Lightning elementals possess lightning-yellow hair and citrine-yellow irises. Wood elementals possess mahogany-brown hair and emerald-green irises. All elementals have these physical attributes, respectively, without exceptions; however, _not_ all people who have these physical attributes are necessarily an elemental.

Contrary to stereotypical belief, powers of an elemental are _not _unlimited. The amount of his or her respective element that he or she is capable of accessing without taxing physical strain depends on very basic factors. The more practice and self-control that he or she has with his or her powers results in the elemental being able to use his or her powers for longer durations and is able to summon more intensity with his or her element.

The level of control that an elemental has depends upon the elemental's self-control of violent emotions (such as rage, fear, anxiety, and trauma) and practice with his or her element in terms of manipulation. The tome gives the theorization that love (or pure and selfless emotions) is the key to manipulating one's element. However, if the elemental lacks control over his or her element and he or she experiences a high intensity of a negative emotion, he or she will go into what is referred to, in the tome, as the _primal state_.

Theoretically, the primal state is a mode that arises when an elemental experiences an extremely large amount of negative emotion or combination of negative emotions. Before the primal state is emotionally reached, the elemental is shrouded in a _power aura_. Fire elementals will have heat surrounding and radiating from his or her body. Ice elementals will freeze the air surrounding them and turn any nearby water into ice. Lightning elementals will be shrouded in visible electric and shock anyone nearby or any electrically conductive objects. Wood elementals cause any wood nearby, except ironwood, to turn into dense ironwood.

In the primal state, the elemental's power aura will turn into what is referred to as an _elemental armor_. This is where, unfortunately, most elementals have been accused falsely of black magic, taboo, and sorcery. Elemental armor fits none of these accusations. Unfortunately, data on the elemental armor is very scattered due to it being subjective in what form it takes and the characteristics and capabilities vary from one elemental to another. The form that elemental armor takes is called an _elemental armor shroud_.

There are three different kinds of elemental armor shrouds. Knight armor shrouds form for elementals whose cause of going into a primal state is mostly defensive emotionally, yet yielding the possibility of being highly offensive. The armor shroud provides protection for the elemental's entire body in a fashion that is more protective than any metal armor used by any knight; however, it is the weakest in terms of agility compared to the other three shrouds. The elemental's agility with the elemental shroud armor is the same as he or she normally is. Garment armor shrouds form for elementals whose cause of going into a primal state is out of fear and desperation for freedom from hardships of some form. The armor shroud allows the elemental to be twice as agile as he or she normally is and provides slightly more control over his or her element; however, compared to the other three shrouds, it is considered the weakest in terms of providing protection to the elemental. Theoretically, it is possible it is possible to control these two forms of the primal state and wield them without being activated by the elemental's own emotions going haywire.

The third, which rarely occurs, is known as the _phantom armor shroud_. Phantom armor shrouds form for elementals whose loved and most precious one is harmed in a subjectively brutal fashion or gravely fears harm or death will befall upon him or her. The element control, agility, and strength become heightened to levels considered inhuman and demonic, even by standards of an elemental. The elemental in this primal state will not lay a finger upon the one that he or she loves; however, if anyone else or anything else is seen as a threat or obstacle to his or her loved one, the elemental will assault it or him or her with lack of regret or mercy, regardless if the person is a true friend or foe. This extreme lack of mental self-control is why this form is sometimes referred to as the _demonic-mode shroud_.

After finding this highly important information pertaining to my powers in the ancient tome, my parents had me instructed by Father Bart in meditation exercises, self-control exercises, and moderation and coaching of my igneous powers. Also, a monk named Brother Samuel Caster taught me academic-oriented knowledge. In addition, the Champion of Weselton, Sir Thomas Longfield, instructed me in swordplay. The Champion told me that a greatsword would suffice in building my physical strength, making me a more 'combat-worthy prince,' and make me less dependent upon the reliance of the royal guards of Weselton to protect me. On top of all this, my parents instructed me in proper mannerisms, rhetoric, and politics. The latter of the four is the one that I found, and still find, to be highly unappealing.

Yes, I know that I am supposed to be the heir of the throne of Weselton. However, in my finite persona, I am a maverick. In truth, I wish that I was a champion like Sir Thomas Longfield instead of a prince. My philosophy is that those who rule those who serve them should be the ones to fight and defend them, not constantly ordering them or constantly fearing a possible rebellion.

My heart desperately yearns to meet Princess Elsa with joyful excitement. When we meet for the first time, I know by unfaltering inclination that the day will be forever imprinted within my mind and possibly her own.

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**If you want a more accurate and detailed explanation concerning what an elemental is, consult The Elementals (from Burn &amp; Frozen) on this website. The Elementals (from Burned &amp; Frozen) shall be update periodically after the release of updates for certain chapters of this story.**


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting Princess Elsa

When my mother and father (more commonly referred to as King Ronald and Queen Heather) heard from Father Bart that Princess Elsa (the firstborn daughter of the king and queen of Arendelle) had ice powers, which are similar to my igneous powers in their nature, they visited King Agdar and Queen Idun of Arendelle as soon as possible. Both Elsa's parents and my parents concluded that in order for us to meet without drawing significant suspicion towards them is to _fully_ establish a trading partnership between the two cities. Supposedly, _both _Elsa's parents and my parents fear that we may be end up becoming the destruction of Arendelle and Weselton. Since we are the only ones known to have these abilities that make us elementals, our parents thought that the trading partnership between Arendelle and Weselton would be a brilliant way of 'secretly' encouraging a close relationship between Elsa and me. Thus, furthering the ties between Arendelle and Weselton.

Today is the same day that I am going to meet Princess Elsa for the first time as soon as the royal transportation ship lands at the castle harbor of Arendelle. Currently, the ship that I am on is sail on the Alder River, which is the river on which Arendelle is located. The ship's location on the said river is very close to Arendelle.

I cannot communicate in words how thrilled and excited I am about meeting Elsa for the first time. In fact, I am so thrilled and excited that I had to go, several times, to somewhere on the ship where I could discretely make flames appear and dissipate in my palms without setting anything on fire.

My father berated me in private about this saying that it was too risky. I countered his statement by making the point that the choice for me was either this or letting these emotions of excitement build up inside of me to the point where I unintentionally set the entire ship on fire. Dad, not knowing how to make a counter statement against mine, simply stares at me wide-eyed and his mouth gapped open for a couple of seconds before walking away. However, he does mutter to himself about something on the lines of me being too smart for someone of my age.

"Mom! Dad! I'm going onto the deck now!" I shouted to my parents through the door closed to their quarter which, compared to the other quarters on the ship, may be considered a suite.

"That's fine Flamorin! Just remember to conceal _it_ and not show _it_!"

"I know, mom!" I walk away from the door quickly towards the stairs leading to the deck. Once on the deck, I walk up to the railing on the left side of the ship to get a good view of the city of Arendelle before the ship lands.

Arendelle is located on flat terrain, which is hard to find in a region where mountains with snow peaks dominate the landscape. The size of the castle of Arendelle seems to make the rest of the city look small. However, a city is simply a city to me. My mind is more occupied with the prospect of getting to meet Princess Elsa for the first time. My thoughts cause me to daydream making me oblivious to my surroundings.

"Prince Flamorin." The voice was very military in manner yet soft of which originated behind me. Nevertheless, being in a daydream, the sudden noise me caused me to jump slightly. I turn around quickly to find one of the royal guards standing before me with a slightly embarrassed look fixated upon his face. The man was wearing a red rob-like military uniform with gold-colored buttons lined up vertically from the neck to the bottom of the military garment, which stopped at the ankles, leather military-standard boots, a sheathed cutlass attached to his belt on his right side, and a pistol in its holster. I do not know what kind of pistol it is.

The Champion of Weselton told me something concerning guns that his instructor once said to him. "Learning how to use a gun is not a grand feat. Anyone can figure out how the weapons work even through simply trial and error. A sword, however, takes strength, endurance, patience, stamina, and practice of much greater value compared to any simple gun. Swordsmanship is a combatant art of its own and takes months to years to have full mastery. Gunmanship can be learned in a matter of days or weeks."

"I'm sorry to have startled you, Prince Flamorin."

"That is alright. Why are you here?" The guard says in an apologetic manner.

"Your father, King Ronald, and your mother, Queen Heather, told me to notify you that we will be docking shortly."

_Are they really that lazy?! Could they not simply have told me in person?_

"Thank you. You may leave now."

"Thank you, Prince Flamorin." Then, the guard bows before leaving me alone again allowing my mind to wander back into a daydream as I look upon the scenic mountainous landscape surrounding the city of Arendelle.

The ship finally lands and I accompany my parents along with four royal guards up a granite staircase leading away from the castle's docks. Arriving at the top of the staircase, there is a wide granite walkway leading to a brick-paved road leading up to a marble bridge of decent length to the castle belonging to the king and queen of Arendelle. We walk over the marble bridge leading to a very large set of wooden gates with a lockout post located directly above it with a, currently closed, wooden opening. When we are almost to the gates, the closed opening of the lookout post flies open and a man (assumedly one of the guards of the castle) pops his head out.

"Oh! It's the king, queen, and prince of Weselton! MARK! ANDREW! Open the gates!" The man closes the opening and the large wooden doors open slowly by mechanical means (since no one was pushing them open). When the door fully opens, we walk inside and the gates close behind us as we walk into the castle's courtyard. Four figures are waiting for us near a lone fountain close to the entrance of the main building structure of the entire castle. Standing there is a man, a woman, and two girls. It is easy to deduce who they are based upon the conclusion that they have been anxiously awaiting for our arrival. In addition, their clothing betrays their identities.

The man is King Agdar, Princess Elsa's father. He is a few inches taller than the woman on his right. He possesses lime-green irises, lightly tanned skin, a highly masculine nose, ears of decent size, and a thin mustache. His hair is light ginger, moderately thick, and extra long standard hairstyle. His attire consists of light gray pants with leather boots and a military uniform that would identify him as a high-ranking military officer and of royal stature with a bronze cross-shaped medal (or possible a medallion).

The woman is Queen Idun, Elsa's mother. She possesses light blue irises, lightly tanned skin, and a small feminine nose and ears. Her hair is a heavy chocolate brown in a textured French braided crown that is bundled on the back of her head for formality. Her attire consists of an aqua-blue tiara on her head, an amulet around her neck with an aquamarine gemstone, and a very decoratively designed, primarily violet-colored dress.

The eldest of the two girls is Princess Elsa, who is standing on her father's left. We are about the same height. She has sapphire-blue irises, more pale toned skin, and a cute feminine nose and ears. Her hair is a pure platinum blonde styled in the same manner as her mother's. Elsa's apparel consists of a magenta cape that is fastened around her neck with a small aquamarine amulet, a teal dress with a sweetheart bodice with bronze lacing, black sleeves, dark teal stockings, dark brown shoes, and her hands are concealed with cyan gloves.

The younger girl, who is standing on Elsa's left, is probably Elsa's sister; however, I do not recollect what her name is. She is barely shorter than Elsa. Her appearance consists of jade-green irises, tanned skin tone with some freckles, and a nose and ears that seem to match her older sister's. Her hair is a strawberry-blonde that is styled in a duel French braid in which one is styled formally in the same manner as her mother and sister with another across the front of her head. Elsa's sister's attire consists of a sleeveless, primarily green-colored dress.

"Welcome to Arendelle, King Ronald, Queen Heather, and Prince Flamorin!" King Agdar said in a very friendly and welcoming voice. He glances quickly at the four royal guards that accompany my parents and me before shifting his gaze upon Elsa's younger sister. "Anna, can you please help guide these soldiers to their quarters?"

_So, her sister's name is Anna._

Anna gives her father a frustrated look. "But Father! I want to talk to the Prince of Weselton! He looks so handsome! I don't want Elsa to hog him!" I can feel my face heating up and turning crimson by the straightforward and unpredictable comment given by Anna. Elsa turns slightly crimson from the comment as well. On the other hand, my parents and Elsa's mother seem to be trying desperately to hold their serious composure as if what Anna said was the most hilarious thing that they have ever heard. The guards, however, are rolling on the ground laughing and clenching their stomachs. King Agdar sighs loudly at his younger daughter's embarrassing comment. He gives Anna a very frustrated glare, while my father coughs very loudly, which catches the royal guards attention and they quickly recompose themselves.

"Anna, you can meet Prince Flamorin and your sister in the study _after_ you are finished escorting these guards to their rooms." Anna's eyes light up with excited anticipation hearing this.

"Deal!" She then walks up to the guards. "Well, follow me." The guards follow Princess Anna away from us toward a structure in the courtyard that can be assumed to be the barracks, while the rest of us proceed inside the castle.

Queen Idun walks up to Elsa and me. "Your father and I are going to be having a meeting with King Ronald and Queen Heather, Elsa. Why don't you two go head to the study and talk? The meeting is probably going to take a long time."

Elsa simply nods at her mothers comment. Her parents and my parents walk together into a large room to the right of the entrance and two large oak doors close behind them leaving Elsa and me at the entrance in which the only sound that dominates the room is silence.

I look shyly at Elsa as I rub the back of my neck nervously. She looks back at me shyly, also. Elsa and I are frozen in place as we gaze at each other, for what seems like a ridiculous amount of time, unsure what to say to the other. The only sound that can be heard is silence.

"So, um, P-Princess Elsa?" _Why I am so nervous?_

"Y-Yes, Prince Flamorin?" She asks being taken off-guard by the sudden break of the silence and a pale blush appears on her cheeks.

"Shouldn't we head to the study now, Elsa?"

"R-Right! Sorry, I guess that I'm just very nervous." She takes in a deep nasal breath before continuing. "Mom and dad told me that you are going to me something important that involves both of us. However, I could not get them to tell me what exactly that is." Elsa turns her gaze slightly away from me in a fashion, which seems to indicate that she is unsure to say something to me. "Please be honest with me, Prince Flamorin." The ice elemental walks up to me until she is an uncomfortably close distance in front of me. She grasps my shoulders with her hands and looks at me directly into my ruby-red eyes with her sapphire-blue ones. "Did our parents set up an arranged marriage between us?" _WHAT!?_ I feel my entire face blushing madly at her question.

"N-No! T-That has nothing to do with it!" Elsa stares into my eyes for a couple of seconds before she releases her grip and walks a few steps backwards.

"Well, then, what is it?" She inquires in a slightly authoritative manner crossing her arms together.

"I think that it is best that we go into the study first before I tell you." She nods to this request.

"Alright, follow me, Flamorin." She walks up one of the two staircases in the entrance and I follow her.

While I am following Elsa, my mind seems to wonder off into a semi-daydreaming-like state trying to determine the best method of revealing my igneous power. We walk into a room with doors to it are already open. The floor is entirely a soft rose-red carpet, while the ceiling is a pure white and simply flat. Bookcases that are filled with books line most of the room, excluding a large, closed window centered in the back of the study behind a desk with papers neatly stacked on top of it and an unlit marble fireplace that is oriented by a brown leather sofa and two pure blue fabric chairs to the right. I walk over to the furthest blue chair and sit down in it, while Elsa sits down in the other, which is facing directly at me.

"I think that it would be easier for me to explain if I just show you." I extend my right arm out and have the palm of my hand facing upward towards the ceiling and pretend that I am holding a sphere. Then, I focus on the power that naturally courses throughout my body and manipulate it into forming into a spiraling and rotating igneous sphere. When the igneous sphere forms in my hand and becomes physically visible, Elsa jumps out of her chair, standing straight up, which causes the chair to fall over onto the floor. Her eyes are opened wide and her mouth is slightly open.

"H-How did y-you do that!?" She exclaims in pure surprise.

"I know that you can do the same thing with ice, Elsa. This means we don't need to hide our powers when we are around each other. As far as I know the, chances of finding another person like us, who are referred to as elementals, is—" Suddenly, Elsa grabs me out of my seat and holds me in a tight, yet not unbearable, hug putting her cheek against my cheek. Thus, causing the igneous sphere in my hand to dissipate very rapidly.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU, Flamorin! I thought that I there was no one else like me in the world, or nobody to understand this power that I have inside me. I could kiss you!" She withdraws her embrace with me and steps back a couple steps backwards and stares at the floor as her entire face turns a deep red from embarrassment. "…Er, um…"

"Hahaha! It's okay, Elsa." I place my left hand on her right shoulder to comfort Elsa from her own embarrassment. "I know what you meant. You extremely happy to discover that there is someone in the world who possesses a similar ability, except that mine is fire and yours is ice, and knowing that you are not alone anymore." Elsa looks at me directly into the eyes as she smiles brightly and hugs me again but this time very gently and I, in turn, rap my arms around her waist hugging her.

"Flamorin?"

"Yes, Elsa?"

"Is it alright if we become friends, Flamorin?"

"Elsa, I would be honored to be your friend."

"Um, what's going on here?" The voice did not originate from either Elsa or me. This realization made us turn our heads towards the entrance of the study to find Elsa's younger sister, Anna, with a very confused expression upon her face looking at us.


	4. Chapter 4: Friendship?

Elsa and I quickly break away from our comforting embrace. I can feel my entire face blush a very heavy red. Elsa's face is also displaying a heavy hue of red upon her face. Anna notices our bizarre reactions and her expression transitions from one of confusion to one wielding undeniably mischievous intentions.

"Oh! Wow! So, you and Prince Flamorin are already a couple! Elsa! That has to be a world record!" Anna exclaims in a spirit that can only be compared to a child receiving something he or she always wanted.

Elsa inhales and exhales deeply calming herself down. "A-Anna! You are completely misinterpreting this!"

"Well, then, what's going on here?"

"Well…" the ice elemental looks at me nervously before looking back at Anna. "Flamorin and I have decided to become friends, Anna."

Anna raises an eyebrow at this response. "Then, why were you two hugging each other?"

Elsa looks at me questioningly. "Is it alright if Anna knows, Flamorin?"

I glance at Anna whose external expression is filled with curiosity and anxiety. If Anna knows about Elsa's ice powers, she would not be scared by the revelation that I possess igneous powers. Why? If Anna was scared of Elsa because of her powers, I highly doubt that she would dare be in the same room as her. I turn my eyes toward the ice elemental to find her giving me a yearning-filled look as if begging me to allow her to tell her sister. _I guess there is no harm if she knows._

"Sure."

"Anna, Prince Flamorin has powers like me." Anna's eyes light up brighter than the sun on a cloudless summer day.

"W-WHAT?! So, he has ice powers, too?"  
"Actually, I am able to do it with fire, not ice." I explain while rubbing the back of my neck shyly. _The best way of explaining this is to her would be to simply demonstrate it to her in a non-hazardous manner._ I walk up to the unlit fireplace with firewood conveniently already in it. Curling my fingers into the palm of my left hand, I am able, almost by second-nature now, to condense the heat around the firewood increasing the temperature very rapidly in less than a second. This causes the firewood to spontaneously ignite into flames.

I turn around and orient my body towards the two princesses to see their reactions. This does not surprise Elsa; however, a soft smile appears upon her unblemished face. Her sister, on the other hand, has her mouth gapping and her eyes opened wide in complete awe. Her disposition, however, rapidly shifts from one of surprise to one of confusion and dissatisfaction crossing her arms over her chest.

"That is cool, but that still does not explain why you and Elsa were hugging each other when I came into the study."

"Actually, Anna, that was my doing."

"What do you mean?"

The ice princess turns head away from Anna and me as her cheeks obtain a light blush. "I guess I got overexcited when I found out that Flamorin possesses an ability like mine and I also realized with certainty that I am not the only one given an ability to manipulate something such as ice. However, I had no expectation that if there was anyone else like me that he or she would be able to manipulate something other than ice, such as fire. It did seem like a perfectly legitimate reaction to hug him simply because of this."

Anna gives her sister a satisfied smirk before she walks up to Elsa giving her a compassionate and sisterly hug of which her sister returns. After a few seconds, Anna takes a couple steps backwards giving her sister back her personal space.

"Hehe! Thanks for telling me Elsa and Prince Flamorin. But, I still think that you and Flamorin would make an adorable couple!" Anna's comment causes Elsa and me to glance at each other in an embarrassed manner. Then, Elsa turns her attention back to her younger sister giving her a threatening glare. "Anna!"

"I'm just playing around, Elsa." She explains while trying to act innocent. "Anyways, since dinner will not be ready until an hour or more, I was wondering what we should do to pass the time."

"How about we just sit down and get to know each other?" I suggest.

"I think that would be a great way to pass the time. What do you think, Anna?"

The strawberry blonde shoots her sister with a disappointed look. "I was hoping the three of us could do something more active but I suppose you're right."

After our hour-long conversation with each other, I learned a lot about Elsa. She has a self-desire of being individualized and not being bound to the duties and responsibilities that come with being the queen of Arendelle, if that were to ever happen. In addition, she is modest, kind-hearted, humble, caring, independent, wise (in ways that I cannot fully express), and highly protective of her sister's wellbeing (and I have the suspicious feeling that this protectiveness might extend to me given enough time). Her sister on the other hand is almost an open book. She is boisterous, not nearly as wise as her older sister, lacking severely in the understanding of what the term "true love" actually means (which is subject that was touched upon too severely not long ago), impulsive (in a sense), humorous, mischievous, truly a child at heart, and kind-hearted.

Someone knocking on one of the doors to the study interrupted our conversation and a man, obviously a butler, enters the room gaining all our attention. The bold man respectively bowed at us. "Dinner is ready. Shall I show Prince Flamorin to the dining room?"

"No, but thank you, Philip." Elsa says in an unfamiliarly formal tone. The butler nods and bows again before exiting the room.

"Well, I'll head down to the dining room and meet you and Flamorin there."

"Alright, Anna."

"We'll see you at dinner, then."

Anna smiles at us. Then, she attempts to dash out of the study, nearly knocking over an antique vase but fortunately catches it before it makes contact with the floor. Elsa and I try not to laugh at her sister's comical clumsiness.

Elsa and I remain in our respective seats. I gaze into her eyes as she gazes into mine, as if enchanted by the other's presence. We do not say a word to each other, as time's significance dwindles into an abyss of inexistence and irrelevance. The only sound that interrupts the silence is the occasional crackling of burning firewood in the fireplace. Regaining my composure, I snap out of this trance-like state and get up from my seat. Elsa's eyes never stop their gaze of wonder upon me. I offer my hand to her and she smiles gladly at me, and takes it.

"Um, Elsa?"

"Yes, Flamorin?"

"Since I showed you my powers early, may I see you use yours. I mean if you want. You don't ne—"

"Um, sure, Flamorin, I guess that it's only fair." She her gloves from her hands and holds them in front of me. "Do you mind holding these for me?"

"Not at all." I say as the ice princess gives them to me. She orients the palm of her hand towards the fireplace. Elsa flexes her hand open as snow-like ice particles form in front of her in a matter of milliseconds before shooting forward at a fast speed towards the roaring flames. Ice quickly forms on the firewood encasing it entirely in a layer of ice. Ergo, this causes the once roaring flames to extinguish with a hiss.

"That was amazing Elsa!" I shout with amazement as I mentally force myself to not let my emotions drive me into hugging the princess out of pure happiness. Instead, I give Elsa her gloves of which she takes and puts back on her hands.

"I think we should head down to the dining room now." Elsa suggests.

"Yeah, we probably should. However, is it not customary for a princess to be escorted by a prince?" I offer Elsa a hand. She simply giggles at the out of place formality in my request as she takes off her gloves again and hands them to me as I carefully put them in my pockets. The beautiful platinum blonde princess gently curls her hand around mine and grasps it with her divinely soft skinned hand. "No, but it should be considered customary."

* * *

At dinner, Anna, Elsa, and me sat next to each other got to talk about more humorous things, while our parents talked about…Well, I am not really sure. However, our parents did seem to tease Elsa and me a lot before we all ate. "So, Elsa's already your girlfriend, Flamorin. That's got to be a world record." This was one of the highly embarrassing comments my parents said. "Have you and Flamorin kissed, yet?" Elsa and I thought that we were going to faint from all the embarrassing comments that our parents concocted. Why have all our family members jump to the radical assumption that we are currently in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship? We are just _friends_ and we have only met each other today.

* * *

"So, why do you think everyone thinks we're in some sort of romantic relationship?" Elsa asked me. Currently, I am walking with the ice princess to her room with my left hand intertwined with her right hand, while grasping her gloves in her left hand.

"I have no idea. However, whether our friendship transforms into a romantic relationship or not will only be determined by the progression of time and our hearts."

"Hehe! What are your, Flamorin? Some kind of philosopher?"

"No, but that doesn't mean that I can have my moments."

My friend halts in front of a closed door forcing me to stop, also. She releases her grip on my hand and turns to face me. "I had a wonderful day, Flamorin. I cannot express how happy I am that you became my friend, my first true friend."

"What about your sister?"

"Um, I mean my first _non_-blood relative friend."

"In that case, I am extremely glad that you are my friend Elsa." I give a gentle hug and she returns it.

"Well, goodnight, Princess Elsa." I say as we break our embrace.

Before I can comprehend what she is doing, Elsa gives me a light kiss to the cheek and gives me a highly feminine grin. "Goodnight, Prince Flamorin." Then, she opens the door to her room, walks in, and closes the door behind her leaving me dumbfounded.

"You two would make a great couple." The sudden voice causes me to jump slightly, and I quickly turn around to see who it was. It is the same butler that I say earlier today. I think his name is Philip.

"Um, I'm afraid that you have the wrong impression. Princess Elsa and I are friends."

The old man gives me a wise grin. "You just keep telling yourself that."


	5. Chapter 5: A Cordial Promise

[Time Skip: 3 days later]

* * *

These passed four days at Arendelle have been the most enjoyable days of my life. For the majority of my time here, the princesses' parents and my parents had occupied most their time with political matters involving the trading partnership between Weselton and Arendelle. Anna, Elsa, and me, on the other hand, were able to have fun. Thanks to Elsa's ice powers, we were able to have snowball fights, build snowmen, and make snow angels. Though I learned a revelation from Anna and Elsa that slightly perplexed and amazed me.

* * *

Apparently, when they were younger, Anna and Elsa enjoyed spending most of their time using Elsa's powers over ice and snow to create winter wonderlands for their enjoyment whenever they pleased.

One night, Anna walked over to Elsa's bed and begged Elsa to play with her, as she was too wide-awake to sleep. Elsa playfully brushed her sister off until it was suggested they build a snowman, to which Elsa delightfully agreed. They headed into the castle's throne room and Elsa created a field of snow enjoying their time with simple merriment until Elsa accidentally struck Anna with her magic, rendering her unconscious. Elsa recalls this being the most terrifying experience of her life fearing that she unintentionally killed Anna. Out of desperation and pure fear of Anna's wellbeing, Elsa shouts for their parents who rush into the throne room.

King Agdar searched through the royal library and was able to find an ancient map to a valley inhabited by lithic trolls with powers capable of saving Anna. When I asked how their father acquired the map, they pondered for a less than a minute before coming to the same conclusion. Both Anna and Elsa have assumed that it has always been in the royal library. Anna, Elsa, the king, and queen headed over to the valley, and the king of the trolls, Pabbie, informed them Anna could be healed, though they're lucky she had not been hit in the heart, for it could have been fatal.

Pabbie then informed the them that, while Elsa's magic possesses great beauty, if she does not learn to control it and let fear consume her, "horrible things will transpire to her and those close to her." The king assured Pabbie that he would 'help' Elsa learn to conceal her powers until she could gain control of them, and before they departed, Pabbie offered to wipe Anna's memories of Elsa's ice powers, believing it would best if she completely forgot the mystical moments they shared, though rearranging the memories to make it seem as if no elemental-oriented powers was involved. However, King Agdar profoundly denounced the offer, fearing the possible aftermath-effects such an alteration on Anna's memory that might arise.

Now, what is so perplexing about this? The confusion did not originate from experience. However, the confusion came from what I was taught. Father Bart instructed me that the elementals have very bad blood with these stone-trolls, stemming from a single elemental's desire to seek vengeance, yet Pabbie, the leader of this tribe of stone-trolls, still showed care and compassion for Elsa.

_A race of beings that are known as "stone-trolls" (a.k.a. lithic trolls) have historically shown distaste for elementals. Although they are highly friendly and respective (to an extent) to 'normal' humans, they gravely hate and fear elementals for historical reasons. Through my research, I have come to the conclusion that they hate elementals simply out of fear. A highly supported theory is that this fear and hatred for elementals stems from the massacres of stone-trolls by a single wood elemental named Sir Dultin Parintime (a.k.a. the Troll Hunter). These merciless massacres are known by the stone-trolls as The Slaughterings. Before he finished off the race of stone-trolls, Dultin simply disappeared without a trace or officially known reason. Any attempt of finding Sir Parintime has always resulted in the search party either not being heard from again or simply return after weeks or fruitless searching. __–_The Elementals

After an elaborate and extensive persuasion from Elsa and Anna, they convinced me to visit this same tribe of stone-trolls. I will not say the visit was disastrous; however, it was not pleasant. When I say 'not pleasant,' I do not mean painful or physically torturing, but embarrassing and unexpected. Somehow, stone-trolls can sense whether a human is an average human being or an elemental. When I first arrived where the stone-trolls resided, they were extremely fearful of me. However, after Elsa and Anna explained that I was their friend, they very quickly became confortable and relaxed with my presence.

They had very interesting things to say; yet, they also seemed to jump to very radical assumptions and embarrassing comments. What do I mean by radical assumptions and embarrassing comments? When I say radical assumptions and embarrassing comments, they, unfortunately, revolved, once again, around Elsa and me. I prefer not to quote what the stone-trolls said to Elsa and me. Some of the comments and assumptions were perverse, some were modest, and others were simply implications that we have arranged marriage. Both Elsa and I _nearly_ fainted from embarrassment, while Anna was rolling on the ground laughing uncontrollably.

When Pabbie arrived and greeted us, I gave a mental sigh of relief thanking the Creator. At first, he was very skeptical of my reason for being there; however, after having a highly interesting conversation with him, Pabbie quickly warmed up to me.

Later, he apologized for his unneeded skepticism earlier. He then explains his skepticism towards me by telling me about the ancient tale of the Troll Hunter (a.k.a. Sir Dultin Parintime), who was a wood elemental, to which all the stone-trolls present cringed. Even though I have read and heard the story numerous times in Weselton, I did not say anything, not desiring to be rude to Pabbie after having gained his respect. After Pabbie finished his tale, he made Elsa and me promise to _never_ seek the path of the avenger and end up becoming someone like Sir Dultin Parintime.

* * *

Today is the day that my parents and I are leaving Arendelle and sailing back to Weselton, unfortunately. I wish desperately that I could remain here with Elsa and her sister, Anna. They are my only true friends.

Currently, my parents and I are on the docks getting ready to board the ship that will take us back to Weselton. It is still dawn and everything has been loaded onto the ship and everyone is on board, except for me. I decided to take one last, long look at Arendelle before boarding. I take a deep breath in and close my eyes. _I never got to say goodbye to Elsa._

"Flamorin!" _Wait! Isn't that Elsa's voice?_ I quickly open my eyes to find Elsa running onto the docks towards me.

"Elsa!" She runs up to me and gives me a tight hug, nearly causing me to fall backwards. I cannot express in simply words how happy I am to see Elsa before departing, so I simply return the compassionate and heartwarming embrace back by rapping my arms around her waist. She looks at me with a mischievous smile after we break from our embrace.

"Were you planning to leave without saying goodbye first?"

"No! Of course not! My parents, however, were very persistent on leaving Arendelle as early as possible."

Elsa gives me a fake pout-filled expression. "That's the poorest excuse that I have heard you say, Flamorin." She giggles very cutely after saying this.

"I know. Anyways, I hope to visit you again in the near future, Elsa."

"I feel the same. But, Flamorin, I wish you did not need to go. I am going to miss you." A lone tear streams down her face without a sign of her noticing.

"I'm going to miss you too, Elsa. However, no matter how far apart we are from each other, we will always be there together in our hearts." I kiss Elsa on her forehead to which she blushes madly. "I hope to see you again very soon, Elsa."

Unexpectedly, Elsa gives me a kiss on the forehead also. "And so do I, Flamorin."

We hug one last time before I board the ship. As the ship sails away from Arendelle, I wave goodbye to Elsa as she waves back on the castle docks until we lose sight of each other.


	6. Chapter 6: Shocking Revelations

[Time Skip: Approximately 2 Years Later]

* * *

Today is a day of relaxation and tranquility. It is a perfect day to be sitting on one of the handcrafted wooden benches that are situated close to the center of the castle's scenic vista-garden in Weselton. The air is comfortably cool for a summer's evening. An occasional soft, gentle and calming breeze can be felt upon my face as I close my eyes and bask in the sunlight of a calm and cloudless evening. The occasional rustling sounds of the willow, oak, and birch trees can non-periodically be heard. The avian chatter of numerous birds such as calandra larks, citrine wagtails, and goldcrests. I feel as if I am actually in an Edenic garden instead of some random royal garden of a castle. Everything feels so harmonious.

Over the past two years since I first met Elsa, there have been periodic visits between my parents and I visiting Arendelle and Elsa and her family visiting Weselton. Through these periodic visits, Elsa and I have become close friends; however, the inclination of allowing our relationship progress and transform into a more intimate form of a relationship than simply friendship has never been openly addressed by either Elsa or me. My mind is currently in a deep train of thought in which I am pondering what Elsa's interior feelings are for me.

_"BOOM!"_ The spontaneous sound of a door being closed with a significantly large amount of force is clamorously heard of which overshadows any peaceful noises from becoming audible to any human ear. The disturbingly loud noise startles me and harshly breaks my deep train of thought and nearly stimulates me to fall backwards with the bench and my eyelids to be opened fully. If I had not had the self-control over my emotions that I currently possess, the bench that I am sitting on would probably be spontaneously encased with fire.

My immediate reaction is to quickly get off of the bench and stand straight up and orient myself towards the direction that the sudden noise supposedly originated. I am greatly surprised to find my mother and father walking into the vista-garden with an unusually hastened pace towards me. My mother's eyes are bloodshot and teary-eyed and her cheeks are red. She seems to inhale and exhale sniffling breathes. _Has she been crying?_ My Father does not have any physical indications that he has shed any tears. Instead, he possesses an expression that is full of sorrow and emotional pain. _Why are they so sad?_

"Mom…Dad…What happened?" I ask in a soft tone that is full of anxiety.

My mother shuts her eyes tightly and hugs my father in a constricting yet not suffocating embrace. As my father attempts to comfort her, he looks at me with hesitation before he hands me a letter.

"I-I t-think y-your m-mother n-needs some r-rest, F-Flamorin." He then escorts mom out of the vista leaving me alone with the letter that my father has just given to me. I open the letter up and read the following.

_To King Ronald, Queen Heather, and Prince Flamorin of Weselton,_

_ You are all aware that King Agdar and Queen Idun as of over one week ago have gone on a diplomatic to the Southern Isles. Well, it pains me greatly to be the one to inform you that King Agdar and Queen Idun are reported to have perished at sea. The duty of informing you of this tragic incident was supposed to be either Princess Anna or Princess Elsa, who will be coroneted as the queen of Arendelle in less than three years from now. Unfortunately, Princess Anna is still trying to cope with this unforgiving revelation. Princess Elsa is currently very anti-social towards anyone including her own sister. Throughout the majority of most days, Princess Elsa is found self-secluded in her room or an unoccupied room in the castle. _

_I am simply a humble yet well respective servant of the Arendelle's royal family; however, I desperately ask a simple request from you alone Prince Flamorin of Weselton. Please! Come to Arendelle! Princess Elsa needs someone to help console and help her through this dark and morbid period in her life as well as Princess Anna. I have seen how close you are to them. King Ronald and Queen Heather, I beg you with the mercy of the Creator to allow for this._

_-Philip_

Although I was never close enough to Elsa's parents for this written revelation to deeply affect me, the news still causes me to feel internal sorrow. However, I still begin to form in my eyes at the painful thought of what Elsa and Anna had to emotionally experience. Nevertheless, I forcefully shove these emotions to the back of my mind and harden myself. Why? I need to be strong Elsa as well as Anna and my mother and father. Elsa _needs_ someone to help and comfort her through this.

_I need to inform my father that I am going to be travelling to Arendelle._ With this thought and new determination, I hasten quickly out of the royal vista-garden to my parents' room. I meet my father as he is just exiting their bedroom and shutting the door behind him softly.

"Dad!"

"Flamorin! Be Quiet. Your mother is resting."

"Father," I ask in an unusually formal tone, "I am going to Arendelle to help Elsa and Anna cope through the lose of their parents."

"NO! I need _you _to look after your mother, Flamorin!"

"Father! Elsa and Anna are experiencing more trauma than either you or mother can understand or imagine!"

"Family comes _first_ Flamorin!" This statement enraged me so very much. How can he just say _that_? Elsa and Anna have lost their parents and are traumatized; however, King Ronald, my _father_, is suggesting to ignore them and to simply focus on my mother whose emotional pain is nowhere near as severe as either Elsa's or Anna's?

"THEY ARE MY FRIENDS AS WELL AS MY FAMILY!" I yell at him as a thin, visible aura of fire surrounds my entire body before I recompose myself causing the surge of enigmatic igneous energy to dissipate.

My father looks at me dumbfounded before looking upon me with guilt and regret. "You're right, Flamorin. I am still in disbelief at the fact that King Agdar and Queen Idun are gone." I say as he gives me an apologetic, fatherly hug of which lasts only a few seconds. "I will arrange for a ship as well as two guards to accompany you to Arendelle."

"Thank you, father." I say to my father as emotions of anxiety, excitement, and worry occupy my thoughts about Elsa as well as Anna. Then, I walk towards my room at a very eager pace to gather what I will need and want to bring with me to Arendelle. However, my thoughts transition from anticipation to worry. _Elsa...I can only imagine how much emotional pain you are feeling now._


	7. Chapter 7: Painful Sorrow

My mind is full of anticipation to see Anna and (especially) Elsa as the ship that I am sailing on anchors into the Arendellian castle's harbor. As soon as the transportation ship lands in the evening at the castle harbor of Arendelle, I wanted desperately to just run towards the castle to see Elsa with haste. However, as the prince of Weselton, I represent my mother and father as well as the entirety of Weselton. My hasty self-desired behavior will only bring undesired attention to me. Instead, I have the guards walk beside me as we proceed to the gates of the Arendellian castle.

When we arrive at the gates, a sentry pops his head out of the lookout post's wooden window to see who is at the gates. "Oh!" the sentry seems to recognize me instantly, "Greetings Prince Flamorin! What brings you to Arendelle?"

"I am here to see Princess Elsa and Princess Anna, sir." The sentry gives me a perplexed stare seeming to be slightly hesitant to say whatever it is that he desires to say next.

"Excuse me if I seem to sound rude, Prince Flamorin. Princess Anna and Princess Elsa, especially, are still trying to recover from the recent news of their parents' tragedy at sea."

"I know…that is why I am here. They need someone to help them through this and, as a friend, it is my duty to help those of my friends in need of aid whether or not it is asked or sought."

The man is dumbstruck by my rationalization for why he should grant me entrance. "I guess I cannot argue with that."

The window closes and a few minutes later the gates open. After entering inside and allowing the gates to close behind us, we are greeted by Philip. "Prince Flamorin! It is good to see you." He says while giving me a bow; however, his body language betrays his own disposition of not expecting to see me.

"It is good to see you also, Philip. Do you know where Princess Elsa and Princess Anna currently are?"

The old butler's smile immediately turns into a depressive frown as if by asking this simple question has brought back sorrow-filled memories. "Well, the last time that I have seen Princess Anna, she was in room; however, I highly doubt she is still there. As for Princess Elsa…" The aged butler takes in a deep breath and exhales heavily. "She is still in her bedroom and the door is shut tight as if it is frozen shut."

_I bet that it literally is frozen shut._

"Philip, will you escort these two men to their rooms?"

"Yes, Prince Flamorin."

I then proceed to walk up one of the staircases.

"Where are you going, Prince Flamorin?" This inquiry seem to be one of mere curiosity.

"I am going to see Elsa." I objectively state without looking back.

"Well, I can only say good luck."

I arrive in front of the closed oak-wooden door to Elsa's room after making haste instead of simply walking to it. "Elsa!" I knock a few times on the door. "It's me, Flamorin. May I—"

"NO! Stay out! Leave me alone!"

"Elsa, I'm not leaving until I know that you are okay!"

"I'm FINE!" She sounds more irritated.

"I know that is NOT TRUE! I want to help! Why won't you let me help you?"

There is a slight pause. "B-Because I will only end up hurting you, Flamorin!"

_I was hoping that I would not need to do this but she is leaving me no other choice._ I summon my igneous power to manipulate the element of fire and encase the door with flames; however, it saps a large quantity of energy out of me because I also need to manipulate the fire so that it does not spontaneously combust the door. After a minute of doing this, I decide that any ice that once kept the door from opening is now water. I force the enigmatic flames to dissipate into oblivion. I manage to open the door and find myself in greater worry yet minute amazement of what is present before my eyes.

The entire bedroom is covered in a layer of ice: bookshelves, mirrors, windows, the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and even the bed. Snowflakes are simply suspended in levitation as if time has completely frozen or Elsa forcibly commanded time to cease progression. Elsa is a truly saddening sight to behold. She is sitting on her relatively large bed hunched up in a fetal position crying. Her attire consists of her hair no longer in that familiar French-braid. Instead, it is simply let free to fall down with gravity of which seems to end below her shoulder blades in a slightly messy appearance. She is dressed in along aquamarine nightshirt having more resemblance to a highly comfortable dress than simple nighttime attire. She looks at me with her bloodshot eyes that are filled with undeniable sorrow and pain. Just seeing her in this manner makes me want to shed tears but I adamantly resist the urge.

For a few minutes, neither Elsa nor I say a word to the other and solely stare into the other's eyes as if it would bring about comfort of some form. I walk over to Elsa's bed and she forcibly turns her gaze away from me. Not wanting to ruin her bed (even though it is cover in a sheet of ice), I take off my shoes and socks and sit on the bed next to Elsa. I put a comforting arm around her shoulders, gently. She seems to relax slightly at my presence resulting in the thin layer of ice on the bed to dissipate out of existence allowing the regal-purple cover and navy-blue sheets to be fully visible, again. "E-Elsa…"

She pulls me towards herself in a tight embrace as her arms encompass me. "Flamorin!" She buries her face into my chest. In an attempt to console her, I gently stroke her back.

"I could have saved them Flamorin. It's all my fault."

"Elsa…" I look down at Elsa feeling her body shake.

"I could have frozen the sea! I could have stopped the storm! I could have—"

"ELSA!" My sudden outburst causes Elsa to look up at me directly into my eyes. She seems unsure of what to make of my interjection and I stop caressing her back. "_Never_ for one second think that they perished at sea because you were not there. Even if you were there, even with your ice powers, you could have died from overusing your powers. I know that this is very painful and traumatic for you and I cannot begin to imagine how much this is hurting you emotionally. However, I promise to you here and now Elsa that I will always be here to help you. I want to help you through this. It is like there are knives stabbing in my heart seeing you like this. You and Anna are my two and only friends and I thank the Creator every single day for solely that fact. All I want is to see you happy."

At this point Elsa is at the verge of tears. These are not tears filled with sorrow and pain. They are tears of pure happiness and relief. And in her happiness, the ice and snow that once proudly existed in the bedroom vanish into the air as if they were nothing but a mere illusion plagued upon the mind. "Thank you," her grip around me seems to tighten, "Thank you so much, Flamorin."

I smile very warmly at her. "Your welcome, Elsa." She then rests her head upon my left shoulder. "You are my closest friend, Elsa. If anything happened to you, I am not sure what I would do."

Elsa seems to laugh at my last remark. "Oh! So, I guess the Prince of Weselton is as good of a romancer as he is a philosopher."

I feel my face redden at this teasing-filled and bold statement. "Oh! Just be quiet." I say in a playfully sarcastic tone. Elsa and I try to continue looking at each other with a serious face; however, we cannot help but to laugh at our humorous and short, verbal interaction with each other. When we finally stop laughing, Elsa looks at me with a serious yet slightly nervous look upon her face.

"Um, Flamorin?" Her face blushes very quickly when saying this.

"Yes, Elsa?"

"I-I, um, don't want to be alone tonight. Can you, um, stay with me for tonight?"

I feel my entire face blush into a crimson red at this question. My instinct is to come up with an excuse to leave her in order to avoid any embarrassments or awkward scenarios from transpiring. However, I decide to shove these instincts aside. Elsa _needs_ me to be _here_ with her. If I leave her alone for the night, it will simply hurt her. In addition, as I glance outside, I can tell that it is already nighttime.

"Sure, Elsa." I get up and help her get under the covers. Then, I walk around the bed and get under the covers on that side. Without any warning, Elsa pulls me very tightly against her body and buries her face into my chest snuggling me.

"Goodnight, Flamorin."

"Goodnight, Elsa." Elsa is the first to fall asleep. I am lulled into sleep also by Elsa's presence and her gentle breathes as she softly inhales and exhales rhythmically. My last conscious thoughts all seem to revolve around Elsa before the realm of dreams carries me away into blissful slumber.


	8. Chapter 8: A Brighter Future

I wake up to find myself on Elsa's bed with my arms around her waist. Elsa is embracing me very close to her own body as she snuggles warmly with a grin with semi-conscious contentment. "_Wait! Why is Elsa…oh, yeah! I remember." _I gaze happily at the gorgeous platinum blonde as she sleeps fondly cuddles me while in my affectionate and consoling-desired embrace.

Having the time to ponder about the relationship between Elsa and me, as far as I have observed and learned, friends are rarely as supportive and close to each other as Elsa and me. We love the other in terms of a highly close friendship. However, does this bond of true love that we share with each other so openly and freely possess the potential of transforming into _romantic_ love? When I say _love_, I truly mean _love_. I know the finite difference between love and lust. Love is always purely _selfless_. Lust is always purely_ selfish_. The cordial feeling that I have for Elsa is undeniable true love. Although I find her to be beautiful and highly gorgeous young woman, these qualities are _not_. The thing that makes Elsa most precious to me is who she is in her complete entirety. Her beauty, her personality, the fact that she is an elemental, her dream to make Arendelle into the first city in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity without unfair and prejudiced discrimination, and her charisma deeply enchant my heart. Our hearts are connected by a bond of which unquestionably exists.

Regardless, _that_ is a matter that can be resolved and answered for another day and another time. I need to wake Elsa in order to avoid any awkward assumptions about this temporary sleeping arrangement. "Elsa," I say as softly as I can in an audible tone. "It's time to wake up. Come on Princess."

Elsa slowly and reluctantly opens her eyes. She looks straight into my eyes with an expression of utter shock and surprise in which reveals an instinctual panic reflex. Fortunately, Elsa calms herself quickly before giving me a heartwarming smile. "Good morning Flamorin."

I chuckle slightly at her reaction. "Good morning, Elsa. Um, as much as I enjoy being cuddled by you, I think we should get up and make ourselves presentable before anyone walks into your bedroom and comes up with extremely awkward assumptions concerning the reason we are sleeping in the same bed together." I try my best to present myself in a joking manner; however, the blushing that I feel arising upon my cheeks seems to betray my own embarrassment of our sleeping arrangement.

Elsa's entire face turns a deep crimson red after I say this. Being unable to orally and verbally state her understanding, she simply nods to this. We reluctantly release each other from our warm embrace and proceed out of the bed. I put my shoes and socks back onto my feet. After doing this, Elsa gives me a nervous look as if unsure what to say or how to state something. Looking at her current attire, I deduce the reason for her sudden nervousness.

"_She probably needs to change, and seems uneasy about asking me to exit her bedroom for some unknown reason."_

"Do you need me to leave to change and make yourself presentable?" I inquire in a serious yet almost playful manner.

She sighs heavily before giving me a thankful smile. "Um, yes, I would highly appreciate that, Flamorin."

"That's fine, Elsa." I say returning the grin before proceeding out of Elsa's bedroom; however, before I my hand touches the doorknob, I turn around to face Elsa for one last time. "I guess that I will be seeing you at breakfast." Elsa simply returns a nod in acknowledgement. Then, I exit Elsa's bedroom and softly close the door shut.

"Sooooo, Whacha doing, Flamorin?" The voice startles me severely enough to almost accidentally ignite the nearby walls on fire. I jump up a foot into the air and immediately turn around to find Anna looking at me with a highly suspicious and mischievous expression.

"AH! Don't do that Anna! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Anna merely laughs at her unintentional success at startling me.

"Hehe! Sorry, I did not mean to scare you." Although her statement expresses her apology, her body language expresses her amusement in this. "So, you succeeded at snapping Elsa out of her of depression, right?"

"Um, yeah, I did, Anna." I respond in a slightly hesitant tone due to the fact that, knowing Anna, she can be leading this conversation anywhere.

"Wait a minute. How did you get in? The last time I checked the door to her bedroom was frozen shut. Literately!"

"I used my powers to melt the ice surrounding the door and it was not as easy as it sounds."

Anna nods at what I say seeming to be thinking deeply and carefully about something of concern. "So, what happened last night?" Her eyes seem to radiate and shine with eagerness and curiosity.

"Well, after I was able to console Elsa, she asked me to stay with her because she did not want to be alone that night. I did not want to because of how awkward the situation would be; however, I stayed for Elsa sake. After how much pain her heart had experienced, the last thing that I want was for her to feel abandoned and alone, again. And we did _not_ do _anything_ inappropriate! The most intimate thing that happened was hugging and cuddling! That is IT!" I am slightly dumbstruck by my last three statements and feel my face blushing due to it.

"Awww! That is soooo romantic, Flamorin! And your so cut when your blushing!" She giggles playing pinching my left cheek after making this intentionally embarrassing declaration to me. I swear sometimes that Anna is as much of a sister to me as she is to Elsa. That is, an unpredictable sister.

I simply give a small, disgruntled sigh at her sense of humor. "I'm going to head to my bedroom, Anna." Without hearing her acknowledgement or disagreement, I very swiftly head to my temporary quarters to make myself my properly presentable and attempt to relax my mind before meeting Elsa and Anna for breakfast.

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[Time Skip: Approximately 3 Years Later]

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Elsa recovered from the sorrow and pain of the revelation of her parents' death at sea after two weeks. However, I needed decided to stay and help Elsa and Anna with political operations and royal duties of Arendelle until Elsa's coronation, which is ten days from today. I wrote a letter and sent a messenger to deliver it to my father and mother to explain why I would not be returning to Weselton for a long period of time. In addition, I sent my two bodyguards back to Weselton since their duty was to protect me over a short-term of time period, not a long-term of time period.

Over the course of this time period, Elsa and I have become closer and closer, more intimate with each other, and less likely to become embarrass or blush. I have come to the understanding that I do truly and unfathomably love Elsa romantically. However, I never have the courage to tell her. Why is it so difficult? I even resorted to asking the butler, Philip, the reason for this vexation of difficulty to tell Elsa my true and most sincere feelings for her. He simply told me that it is just one of those cruel truths and the reality of life.

Over these past two years, I have discovered many details about Elsa that makes me love her more deeply and innocently than any other person on Earth. Her dream is to not one of stereotype that people associate with princesses. Her dream is one of which defines Elsa. It is _not_ to be swept off her feet and marry a handsome prince _nor _to never marry. Her dream is one that any person would respect. Elsa's dream is to make the world more harmonious. She once said "Some people become evil and corrupted in their hearts because no one would reach out and care for them. As a response they will either shut as many people out of their hearts or attempt to harm people in one or multiple manners as a form of self-redemption for their sorrow, their pain, their anger, and their fear. You saved me from that fate, Flamorin. And I am sure we can unify every person from every kingdom by giving them true love and aid even when they smack away our hand out of denial of anyone caring for them. This is my dream Flamorin. What is yours?"

On that same day, I dropped my seemingly childish ambition of seeking out elementals throughout the world in the hopes of one day establishing a place were we can exist without the scorn and condemnation of conventional society. Her dream became my dream and, indirectly through this, I have grown to love her more and more every day.

Nevertheless, now, I must return to Weselton to prepare for Elsa's coronation. Elsa desires to seem me before I leave. Now, here we are in the present. I _need_ to Elsa my feelings for her or I am afraid that I never shall.

"Elsa…" I state very softly as if afraid someone will overhear me.

"Yes, Flamorin?" She inquires with mere and sincere curiosity with her beautiful sapphire-blue eyes.

"Um, I-I need to tell you something that I have always wanted to tell you."

"What is it?"

I can feel my heart ponding like an angry drum in my chest. My thoughts are racing and moving quickly through thoughts of excitement, curiosity, anxiety, nervousness, and wonder. Everything, except the one standing before me, seems to lose all meaning of significance and purpose. "I-I…love you, El—" Before I finish saying her name, I find her kissing me passionately and intimately. I instinctually return with equal intimacy and passion. Time seems to cease its existence and everything around us seem to disappear as we express our unspoken romantic love for each other through a universal indication and expression of such a love through mere physical means.

After we break the kiss, Elsa gives me the most cute and heartwarming smile that I have never seen her make to anyone else. "I love you, also, Flamorin." We embrace each other in our arms and slightly cuddle each other.

"So, Elsa does this mean that you and I are now a couple?" I ask regardless of the fact that the answer is blatantly obvious. Although my heart is convinced, my mind is not completely satisfied and magnanimously desires verbal recognition from Elsa herself.

"No! I'm just practicing, silly." Elsa playfully states in an undeniably sarcastic tone causing me to simply laugh at her sense of humor and her to follow in laughter. "Of course, Flamorin! We are a couple now. You are my boyfriend and I am your girlfriend from this moment forward."

We stared at each other for what seems like a ridiculous amount of time, of which is probably only a couple minutes. "So, I will be seeing you at your coronation, my Queen." Elsa giggles at this. Then, we very reluctantly break the embrace and give one final kiss to each other before I board the ship destined to take me to Weselton.


	9. Chapter 9: The Primal State

Burned &amp; Frozen

A. J. F. Link

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**Disclaiming Notification: Frozen is owned by Disney, not by me in any manner. The original plotline, storyline, characters, and development belong to Disney. Plagiarism of the original story of Frozen without Disney's permission is a violation of the U.S. Copyright Act, especially in cases of unauthorized personal profit without being granted permission from Disney. Plagiarism of this self-created version of Frozen is a violation of the rules and guidelines of this website.**

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Chapter IX: The Primal State [Time Skip: Approximately 6 Days Later]

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My mind is full of excitement, happiness, and eagerness. Why? Today is the day that I am leaving Weselton to go to Arendelle for Elsa's coronation. Even though the conventional navel journey from Weselton to Arendelle only takes three days, I am leaving a day earlier to account for any storms or other unpredictable weather.

I have just finished dressing myself. Today, I have decided to wear a more personal and a less royal attire. My outfit consists of a white undershirt, black leather jacket with a brown cloth-like hoodie and silver lining, black leather pants with silver lining, and brown leather shoes. Currently, I am packing my clothes, hygienic supplies, and an ornamental sword (i.e. one that is not really meant for combatant usage).

There is suddenly a very loud knocking from the outside of the door to my bedroom. "Who is it?" Surprisingly, there is no response. As I approach the door to open it, I hear an unfamiliar voice.

"Break the door down."

"Yes, sir." I do not recognize the second voice. However, regardless, I know whoever these men that are standing outside my door are, their intentions are obviously hostile. Sensing and deciding that opening the door for them would be highly undesired, I jump away from the door and slowly start walking backwards.

A very loud and audible booming sound is heard, which is immediately followed by the sound of wood breaking and cracking as the door breaks from its hinges and falls hard onto the smooth wooden floor. Four men run into the room and stand in a horizontal line in front of me with their crossbows loaded and aimed at me. The men are all dressed in the same attire. It simply consists of black shoes, black gloves, black robes, black hoods, and black facemasks of which had only an opening for the eyes. Their uniformed dark attire implies that they are either interrogators or assassins. I am willing to bet that they are the latter.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" I yell at them with venomous anger.

The intruder that is standing far right of me out of the four intruders simply gives me a smile that betrays malicious intentions. "Prince Flamorin, you are hereby charged with the unholy practice of sorcery and dark magic and, according to Weseltonite law, the appropriate punishment for such a crime is immediate execution in which a trial by court is deemed unnecessary if there is compelling enough evidence or proof."

_I do not want to resort to harming these men unless I am certain that there is no other option._ "However, if you know the law of Weselton, sir, you also know that significant proof is needed for such an executive action to transpire. Do you have any such proof? If you do not sir, you are simply committing homicide, assassination, and murder instead of merely carrying out an established and accepted law."

All the assassins are slightly surprised by the logic and formality of my statement and look towards each other in confusion. The intruder that addressed me before, however, recomposes himself and pulls out a very familiar looking tome. I am filled with fear as I realize why the tome looks so familiar. The tome is The Elementals, which should still be in the Royal Achieves because my parents would _never_ willingly allow _anyone_ access to it, except themselves, the priest, and me. _So, how on Earth did they acquire it?_ "This tome that I hold here indicates that you are, by description, a fire elemental. This is clearly enough proof. Now be a man and except your fate!"

_None of them are going to listen to innocence and reason._ I summon up four individual flames that levitate in the air in front of me. "Not without a fight!"

"SHOOT HIM!" They all fire their crossbows at me. I manage to evade all the fired projectile bolts, except one of which barely sinks itself very close to my left shoulder blade. I feel the warm liquid of my own blood seep from the wound and begin to soak the inside of my leather attire. Then, I seem to instinctively manipulate the enigmatic flames to set each crossbow to be set on fire in blaze reducing the wooden and whipcord to mere black ash. This frightens the once emboldened assassins; however, they quickly regain their courage and try to stab me with they once concealed daggers by charging at me through a frontal assault. I decide to counter their attack through a diversion. I shut my eyes tightly and very quickly force the hydrogen and oxygen in the air to combust very rapidly in front of each of the assassins resulting blinding and intense white spheres of light to burst suddenly in front of each of them. This causes them to immediately drop their weapons and clench their hands over their eyes by the pain that resulted from the rapid increase of the intensity of the light that the human pupils receive.

I use this opportunity to dash away from them and out the door while they are still dazed. I sprint down the hallway. Momentarily, I stop to pull out the bolt that luckily only pierced through skin and nothing that is vital or would make it a more serious injury. Tossing the bloodied bolt aside, I continue my mad sprint down the castle hallways towards my parents' bedroom.

Not bothering to knock on the door first, I quickly burn the door in an intense inferno. Then, I give a hard kick to the now-charcoal-riddled door. The sight before me confirms and acknowledges my fearful premonition that I am in the middle of a coup. My parents are backed against the wall with two Weseltonite soldiers holding them against the wall with each with a loaded pistol with the opening pressed against their foreheads. My mother possesses a look of sheer terror and confusion. My father possesses a look of slight anger and vexation but also fear and confusion.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!? WHY ARE YOU THREATENING THE KING AND QUEEN OF WESELTON!?" The soldiers, however, never acknowledge or show any indication that they heard me. "WHY ARE YOU NOT LISTENING TO ME!?" My anger grows to a proportional degree with the intensity of heat radiating from my body.

"That's because they listen to only me now, young Flamorin. You are supposed to be dead." Emerging from the shadow in the far left corner of the bedroom, I see the Duke of Weselton, Herald Shortheim. He is a significantly short and slender old man with pinkish skin, notably large pointed nose, dull blue irises, small circular glasses, a thick gray mustache above his lips, gray hair on the sides and back of his head, and a gray toupee on the top of his head in a poor attempt to hide the fact that he is mostly bald. His attire is a "dignitary" military-like uniform, consisting of a dark blue coat with gold lining, wavy (seemingly insignificant) patterns on the collar, and red shirt underneath, medals of now falsified honor on the right side of his coat, a red sash hanging diagonally from his left shoulder, epaulets with tassels, red cuffs at the end of his coat's sleeves, white gloves, gray pants, and black boots.

"What are you blabbering ab—" I feel my body begin to shack with pain and submitting to a sense of energy being slowly drained away from me. My vision is becoming slightly hazy and disorienting. The symptoms force me to fall on my knees in an almost kneeling position and force my arms to hold myself up in order to not fall flat onto the floor. My breathing seems to become my heavy and direly needed.

"FLAMORIN!" My mother screams out of frightened concern for me.

"It seems that those poison tipped bolts are finally doing their job." The Duke says smugly as if he had accomplished something that was good and righteous. He gives me a malicious smile with his hands now tucked behind his back.

"W-Why are y-you doing th-this?" I barely manage to say this due to my throat and voice becoming dry, horsed, and weak. This is probably another effect the poison is having upon me.

"Why!? In my combating prime, I have encountered your kind in the past, Flamorin. These_ elementals_ are extremely dangerous warriors on the battlefield. Their abilities seem to be not matchable by any human being not born with their abilities. These elementals are a great threat to every kind of kingdom and civilization anywhere on Earth. Ergo, they must be either exterminate or exiled; however, I think the prior is more desirable than the latter. You, Flamorin, are an elemental. Therefore, you and your family must be eradicated. Now, Flamorin, in my pocket, there is the antidote for the poison that is attacking and affecting your body."

_I do not like the sound where this is going._

You can either choose to die with your parents here _or_ accept the antidote and become my elite general and personal bodyguard in Weselton's glorious rise to militarianism."

I painfully grit my teeth angrily and glare directly into the short duke's eyes. "...D-Death s-sounds more honorable a-and appealing."

"WHAT!? You dare _think_ that _death_ is more honorable than serving _me_!? This, Flamorin, is a coup and you were given the honor and glory to stand with me in the seat of military power! _You_, Flamorin, will be the last person who stands in my way of obtaining the rule over Weselton. And you, unfortunately, will not have the glory to participate in this coup!" The weasel then turns to address the two soldiers. "Carry out the execution with the king and queen first!"

Before either my father or my mother can utter a single word or sound, thee life from their eyes fades away and they fall onto floor limb and lifeless right before my eyes. At that exact moment, I feel no sorrow or unholy, emotional pain. There is only anger, vexation, and hatred. The energy that naturally courses through my body rapidly grows and seems to become more chaotic. The effects of the poison rapidly dissipate. My body is shrouded within a thick blaze that erupts into existence. My hatred becomes cold and now possesses a minor inclination to bloodlust for any individuals that I _can_ and _will_ find who participated, were involved, and/or knew about the transaction of this coup that I am fully enlightened that is transpiring today.

The soldiers start to shake and tremble out of pure fear as they gaze upon me with eyes open wide. Herald, however, tries to escape by breaking and jumping out the window closest to him (probably forgetting how high off the ground the window is). However, I dash to him as he only begins to run towards it and grasp hard onto the upper calve of his left leg. As I dangle the Duke while he squirms like a fish or deer caught in a snare or trap, my body becomes enshrouded in realgar-colored, knight-like armor that very closely resembles plate armor with a one-way transparent stechheim (a.k.a. frog-mouth helm). The gazes at me in utter shock and fear as I merely and with great ease toss the Duke at the two murderous soldiers who are nearly knocked to the floor by the momentum of which I used to throw the midget of a man at them. Herald Shortheim, whom is not nearly dead, has pathetically fainted and is now completely unconscious. The fire aura that once completely shrouded be extinguishes from visible existence.

My anger and hatred is no longer being shown externally allowing me to be aware of how much power I know possess in this state. I believe The Elementals refers to this as this as the primal state and I currently have the knight armor shroud within my igneous power. I calmly point with my right hand at the to startled soldiers. Before I can make any remark to them, one of them pulls out a Norman sword, grabs the handle with both hands, and charges at me with it raised high. My instincts tell me not to bother moving because the blade will not be able to cut through the knight armor shroud. He horizontally swings the blade of the Norman sword to his left. Upon contact with the armor the steel blade of the weapon shatters into countless shards of metal. I, then, immediately grab the arrogant man with my metallic covered left hand upon his left shoulder hindering any chance to move or escape from me.

I tightly clench my right hand into a fist, while the terrified man in front of me shuts his eyes not wanting to see the inevitable. My hand becomes encased in a fiery inferno. I aim my fist at the general region of his rapidly beating heart. Before my fist makes contact, I very swiftly remove my left hand's grasp upon him sending him crashing into the wall on the opposite side of the bedroom. He falls and hits the floor completely limp and dead due to the fatality of the blow.

The remaining man has not moved from his initial spot. "Go unless you desire the _same_ fate as your comrade."

The very frightened man nods very nervously with obvious magnanimity. After he leaves, I decide to quickly head back to my room to grab essentials that will be needed for a long journey. The only way, without the possibility of being attacked in an attempt of assassination or coup, that I am going to see Elsa is by taking the terrestrial route to Arendelle.

As I rush to my bedroom, I am confronted with the four assassins from earlier who stop dead in their tracks at the sight of me. "Who on Earth are you?" one of them asks with simple curiosity.

Two Swiss longswords of the same color as my armor materialize in my hand shrouded entirely in flames. Before even one of the assassins realized who I am, I swiftly and brutally kill them. Ironically, no blood is spilled. When the blades cut into a person the fire surrounding the blades is intense enough to singe any degree of a cut, wound, or opening cased by a stab in a manner of which prevents any blood from pouring or leaking out of them. That is enough with the details. The dire need in the present moment is to very quickly gather what I need for my long journey to Arendelle before anymore of the Duke's cronies attempt to murder or assassinate me.

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**A/N: If you want more information or simply need clarification concerning what the primal state is, consult The Elementals (from Burned &amp; Frozen) on this website with the last section on the first chapter and the entire second chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10: Wood

I very hastily grab my travel's backpack after rushing into my bedroom. Then, I secure a sleeping bag and an empty canteen onto it and a hunting knife, a carving knife, two small pillows, and some basic hygienic essentials such as towels and deodorant. However, there are two items of which most people would bring with them that I am not packing: flint and a weapon for self-defensive purposes. The flint is an obvious one due to the fact that, since I am a fire elemental, creating and starting fires is not a problem for me. I do not need to bring a weapon for self-defense because, as long as I am able to use this knight armor shroud, I can simply create weapons by using my fire element.

My plan is to quickly head to the royal stables and acquire a horse (which is why I am also packing a sack full of carrots) and set off towards Arendelle through the Stella Trade Route (i.e. a trading route between Arendelle and Weselton) which is rarely used now since the firm establishment of a trading alliance between Weselton and Arendelle has been made by Elsa's deceased and my recently deceased parents. Why do I not mentally break down, cry, or even tremble at the horrendous memory that will forever be burned into my mind of my own parents' lives being taken before my eyes? Well, in truth, there are two reasons. The first is simple. I need to be strong so that my parents' deaths do not become meaningless as a simply another tragic chapter in the pages of history. The second is the one which trumps any possibilities of such emotions, of which purely express unforgiving sorrow and cordial pain of which scars my heart, to arise. I need to be strong for Elsa. In purest truth, I will never forgive myself in the next life if I am to leave Elsa in this world alone without another individual who can possibly understand and relate with her on a personal level.

I need to leave Weselton as soon as possible before any soldiers or assassins try to bar or blockade my efforts to escape the Duke's coup. Although they would not be a significant threat to me as long as they do not use any heavy weaponry such as ballistae, I prefer to not kill and causing any unneeded and avoidable fatalities. Grabbing my travelling necessities, I dash out of my bedroom and head eagerly and hastily through the castle to the royal stables. The thing that is slightly troubling my mind is the fact that the hallways are silent and unoccupied. The only occupant seems to be me and the only sound is the unique sound that a suit of plate armor makes when a person runs in it. _"Where are the soldiers and servants?"_

I immediately halt as I enter the entrance room of the castle and look down onto the marble flow. There, blockading the oak gates of the main entrance and several corridors, including the one that leads to the royal stable yard, are at least one hundred Weseltonite soldiers, in which every soldier present is armed with a loaded rifle and the standard militarily issued Scandinavian rapier. One of the soldiers takes a couple of steps forward while looking up at me. I can only assume that he is the head officer. "Prince Flamorin! _You_ are _not_ to leave the vicinity of this castle alive by the order of the Duke!"

"I do _not _want to fight any of you men! Now, step aside!" I exclaim in a tone filled with venom and warning.

"You no longer take orders from you, Flamorin! And, in case you haven't noticed, you are outnumbered by one hundred to one!"

Underneath my fire element helmet, I grin and grit my teeth slightly. "Well, then…if it is a fight you want…" I jump off the wooden railing onto the marble floor with a force that causes a slight tremor and creating a spider web of a crack upon the once untainted and undamaged flooring. The impact of jumping from such a height does not faze me due to the fact that the knight armor shroud absorbs the impact before it can cause serious physical damage to my body. The once bold soldiers are startled by this action and some even seem scared as they gaze upon me. I take my backpack off and lay it beside me on my right. Then, as if by second nature, the two Swiss longswords materialize in my hands radiating with the igneous power of which my armor is constructed. "…It is a fight you _shall_ get!" I get into a fighting stance with the swords in which the one in my right hand is holding a fire-sword with the sword's flat part of the blade is parallel and facing my right cheek in while, in the other hand, a sword is pointed obliquely away from my body.

"OPEN FIRE!" The military officer in commands orders gesturing his hand in an authoritative forward fashion. All the soldiers in the room point their rifles at me and fire their weapons upon me. However, I remain unfazed and remain fixated like a statue refusing to me because I instinctually know that their bullets cannot penetrate through my armor. In truth, if I had closed my eyes, I would have barely noticed anything hitting the elemental armor shroud. When they run out of ammunition, they all gaze upon me with horror and fear. Why? None of their bullets did any noticeable damage to the armor or me. There is not even a minor dent in it.

"Are you done yet? I have no intention in fighting anyone here! I just want to leave! You are not making this easier for me or you, so just stand aside!" I yell venomously at every individual within my presence. Unfortunately, my pleas, although innocent, undemanding, and simplistic, are once again ignored as if they were never uttered.

The leading military officer's left eye seems to slightly twitch in either annoyance or shock. It is difficult for me to tell which of the two it is due to how far away the man is from me. "M-Men! Draw your swords!" Every soldier present pulled his rapier out of its sheath and holding it tightly while fixated in a defensive stance. "KILL HIM!" From every direction a mob of soldiers begin charging toward me with their rapiers in a position to initiate a blow upon me.

I amass a very large quantity of my igneous element and hold and control it until they are within a radius of fifteen feet away from me. Then, I release it and manipulate it to make a wall of blazing fire that reaches to the ceiling around me in a perfect circle. Almost all the men stop in time before they touch the blaze; however, eleven soldiers are not very fortunate because they are caught within the blaze and are instantaneously turned into ash.

Taking the opportunity by the soldiers being temporarily blinded by the spontaneously appearing ring of inferno that I have created, I run inside of the blaze wielding my swords ready to strike. I very quickly absorb the energy in the inferno and channel it into my blades to the point where the blades of the swords are now radiating with the same heat and intensity as a smelting furnace. Pointing and positioning the blades out of the ring of inferno, I run around within the ring holding the swords steadily in this position striking down twenty-three men cleanly and quickly. I notice out of the corner of my eyes that, as soon as the blades struck and cut one of the soldiers, he would instantaneously become a human torch. Then, less than a second afterwards, the soldier would shatter into ashes, giving the illusion of physically disappearing from existence. After completing one lap, I literately jump back into the center of the ring of blazing fire and hold and position my weapons in their initial orientations and release my manipulation upon the wall of fire forcing it to rapidly to dissipate out of existence.

The remaining seventy-six soldiers very quickly lose their morale and courage as they gaze upon their recently fallen comrades. Filled with terror and horror, sixty-three throw down their swords and run out of the castle. Some soldiers are even swearing and running for their lives as they flee the castle. The remaining thirteen soldiers are all standing before me fixated where they are with their rapiers being held in a significantly defensive orientation yet not in an orientation that is ideal in combat. The adrenaline that has been driving me throughout this suddenly ends forcing me to break my fighting stance and bend my legs and hunch with my face parallel to the marble flooring breathing heavily with exhaustion that transpires like revelation. I look at the armor upon my hands to discover that fractures are beginning to form and the heat being radiated by the armor seems significantly cooler than it was initially. The armor is starting to dissipate and fade away slowly.

_ "I am using too much energy. I do not think that I will last more than fifteen minutes with this knight armor shroud. I luckily do not need to forfeit any element to maintain the existence of these swords. On the other hand, if I dissipate the knight armor shroud, I will become extremely more vulnerable…. I guess I will need to end make this a quick fight since they are not likely to listen to any reasoning."_ I force myself to stand back up, even though my body is begging and yearning for a moment of relaxation. However, this is neither the time nor place to be satisfying or submitting to the primeval desires of the physical body.

Three impatient soldiers rush at me with their rapiers raised above their heads. I cross my arms to form an "X" waiting for the moment they are within striking distance. When they are all in front of me (i.e. one to my front right, one directly before me, and one to my front left), I break the "X" and strike outward before they could deliver the hammering strike upon me. Fortunately, my aim is perfect because I successfully cut into a vital artery found in the neck of all three soldiers causing them to literately drop dead on the spot. _"Ten left."_

One of the soldiers, of whom I recognize now as the commanding military officer who threatened me earlier, steal a rapier out of a soldier's hand standing on his left and delivers a hard blow to his head making him unconscious. He charges at me with a rapier in each hand. I _barely_ have enough time to guard against his attacks in which he delivers a downward slash with his left hand, of which I block with my right hand's sword, and a wide slash to my right side, of which I block with my left hand's sword. The sound of metal hitting metal with great force echoes throughout the entire room. "Stand aside men! I can take the prince alone!" the man orders in a vexingly elitist tone of which makes me grit my teeth angrily. Kicking the man with great momentum in the stomach with my left foot and having the wind knocked out of him, the commanding officer drops his swords and flies and hits the hard, marble floor about ten feet away from me. He loses consciousness after the hard impact with the floor.

The remaining nine men throw their weapons down and run out of the castle. They probably lost any remaining morale that they had seen me knocking out the military superior with a single blow to the stomach. After they are no longer in sight, I dissipate the knight armor shroud and the fire-swords, put my backpack on me, and hastily run towards the royal stable yard.

When I run into the stable yard panting with tiredness and physical pain and exhaustion, I suddenly hear the rustling of grass behind me. I look to my horror and find a greatsword being wielded by Sir Longfield swinging the massive blade to decapitate me. "To live by the blade is to die by the blade!" I close my eyes and cross my arms protectively over my face in a futile attempt to protect myself and wait for the killing blow. I open my eyes to find wooden stake-like projection from the ground that apparently stabbed throw Sir Longfield's heart resulting in instant death.

"Wow! _That_ was close. Wasn't it, Flamorin?" I look to see who the voice belongs to. To my utter surprise, it is Father Bart. He is dressed in traditional monk-like robes as usually.

"Y-You did that?" Even though the answer seems blatantly obvious, I cannot satisfy my mind's doubt without asking the question.

"Yep! But there is no time to explain why I never told you I was a wood elemental. You need to go to Princess Elsa and warn her of this. Since she is an ice elemental the Duke will surely try to kill her if he finds out." He attempts to push lead me toward the stables by grabbing my hand but I furiously slap it away from me.

"For eight _years, _you have kept the fact that you are a wood elemental yet you have never once told either Elsa or me anything! _Now_ you tell me that you are a wood elemental, after having used the wood element to stop Sir Longfield from murdering me, and say like it is _nothing of importance?!_ Why?! JUST TELL ME THE TRUTH!" Despite my tiredness and lack of spirit to initiate any combatant skirmish, I feel angry and betrayed at Father Bart. What did he think that he would gain by keeping his ability a secret knowing that Elsa and I possess abilities of similar nature but not of dominion?

Before Father Bart can give me his reason verbally, loud footsteps are heard coming towards our direction. Father Bart looks at me as if I was the apprentice that he failed to teach correctly and fairly as a master. "Flamorin, I am deeply sorry. The world still does not seem ready to accept elementals as fellow brethren of the human race of which we are seen as humans and not demons or angels possessing supernatural and other worldly powers. I would tell you the reason but time is not of the essence. GO! I will cover your escape if such a service be required." As he says this, I swear his right eye sheds a lone tear of sorrow out of dissatifaction.

Instead of inquiring a question or making any remark of protest, I merely nod in acknowledgement and hasten towards the stables. Fortunately, there is still one I situate myself on the horse and then I come speeding out of the royal stables on the horse towards the Stella Trade Route. Since I have successfully scared away the soldiers earlier, I do not encounter any hindrances as I finally reach the barely used trade route.

My mind is racing for the concern and safety of Elsa. However, my mind would sometimes shift to a new puzzling question concerning Father Bart. I now feel as if what I knew about the man before today was merely a masquerade.

_"He is a wood elemental?! Why did he never tell me? And why did he never tell Elsa? Or did he?"_ Countless questions concerning the events that have transpired today as I ride my horse towards Arendelle.


	11. Chapter 11: Anxiously Awaiting

[3 days later]

* * *

**Paradigm Shift: Elsa's Point of View**

* * *

I am filled with absolute excitement for my coronation tomorrow. My anxiousness does not derive from the thought that I will be named the new queen of Arendelle. My excitement does not derive out of the prospect of a gathering and formal party in my honor. It is not out of fear. Then, you may ask, what is it? Tomorrow is the day that Flamorin, my love, is arriving tomorrow. Despite the obvious fact that our relationship of romantic love has only been elevated from the bond of a close friendship in less than a single week, my heart sings and jumps with excitement, happiness, and anticipation at the arrival of Flamorin. It is, in a sense, blindingly romantic. He, a fire elemental, and I, an ice elemental, falling in love and sharing a cordial bond of which scarcely any couple can truthfully confess they possess between each other.

Part of my being desperately wants to ask him to marry me tomorrow, yet, although it is an innocent thought, it is entirely selfish in nature. Romantic love is _never_ something that any person alive can either rush or forcibly advance. It must be nurtured slowly and gradually with selfless care. _"Love that is rushed and tempered can never truly be romantic or true love. That is simply lust."_ This was a speech that my mother, Queen Idun, gave me when I was younger, before I knew Flamorin. These words are a principle that I have made for myself to follow. Unfortunately, Anna, although I have told her numerous times, seems to have not received the speech from our mother. Maybe after telling me the speech, she assumed that I would tell her? However, I have told the same speech to Anna by verbatim on several random occasions yet she never seems to take those wise words to heart.

* * *

I just stare out the mirror before me being captivated my deep trains of thought about the coronation and, especially, Flamorin. Though I am semi-conscious of where I am and a general recognition of my surroundings, I cannot help myself but continue to be captivated my daydreams.

"What are you doing Elsa?" my sister asks me in a soft and non-boisterous tone, of which causes me to jump and make a small frightened gasp. This makes me absentmindedly freeze the entire mirror.

"DON'T DO THAT, AGAIN, ANNA!"

"Hehe! Sorry, Elsa. I was not intending to scare you, even though it is funny when I manage to do so. So, what's on your mind?"

"N-Nothing!"

"It's Flamorin, isn't it?"

I blush and feel slightly embarrassed at how easily Anna figured out that my mind was dwelling on Flamorin. "Y-Yeah. I am just very anxious to see him again."

"AWWW! That's so sweet! I cannot wait until you two get married!"

"Anna! We have only confessed our feelings for each other only _nine days ago_! Marriage is the last thing on our minds, Anna!" Anna just gives me a playful elbow.

"Oh! Come on Elsa! I'm just teasing with you!"

* * *

It is an exciting yet anxiety-filled thought that tomorrow I am going to be named queen of Arendelle at my coronation. In addition, tomorrow is the day that I will see Flamorin again. Why does tomorrow seem so far away from today? Why can it not come sooner?

* * *

**A/N: Yes, I know this chapter is unusually shorter than any of the previous chapters in this story. However, This provides a glimpse at what is going on with Elsa back in Arendelle. In addition, although I **_**hate**_** spoilers, I will say that the story will shift back to Elsa's POV in Chapter XIII. Chapter XII will shift back to Flamorin's POV and is going to be occurring on the same day as this chapter is transpiring. **


	12. Chapter 12: Sir Dultin Parintime

**Paradigm Shift: Flamorin's Point of View**

* * *

I have been traveling on the Stella Trade Route for three days. Tomorrow, I will be in Arendelle to see Elsa's coronation as the new queen of Arendelle as well as warning her about a potential assassination that the Duke may initiate upon her if he receives word or even suspects that Elsa is an elemental.

If I am correct, I am currently at the bottom of the southeastern side of the North Mountain on the Stella Trade Route, which is ironically located south of Arendelle, not north. I suppose that I can deduce that the mountain was never named by anyone from Arendelle. Regardless, the mountain is very tall and I cannot truly see the zenith of the mountain at the nadir.

Instead of deciding to camp for the night, I made the hasty decision to press forward and continue my horseback-ridden journey towards Arendelle. However, the feral snarls, barks, and howls behind me as I am desperately edging my horse to sprint as fast as he can forward.

My presence has apparently attracted the attention of a pack of feral and hungry wolves. I look behind me to find the pack still in pursuit of me. When I look back towards the path ahead of me, I find to my misfortune that there is a low branch in front of me. Acting by pure instinct, I duck my head down. _"That was clo—"_ My thoughts are cut very short by a sudden jerking force backwards of which sends me flying off of the horse. I left shoulder hits the ground with a bruising force. Fortunately, the ground is surprisingly soft from its mild usage and seldom drudgery.

For a few seconds my entire body feels dazed. As I struggle to get up and stand, I notice with great dismay that I am completely surrounded by the pack of wolves. The wolves are all savagely baring their fangs while growling at me in a feral manner. Their fur is experiencing piloerection reaction, standing on end, of which gives them an overall more fearsome disposition possessing nothing except purely animalistic, malicious, and voracious-oriented intentions.

"Go away!" I shout defensively at the wolves while creating a barrier of fire around me in an approximate five-meter radius. The wolves whine and yip at the sudden and spontaneous appearance of fire. In fact, it scares them so much that they all run away from me with their tails between their legs.

"_Why me?"_

There is nothing better to do than to keep going forward on the Stella Trade Route to Arendelle. Out of all times that one can imagine, I am most grateful _now_ that I am a fire elemental. Why? Since my body is continuously creating a consistent flow of internal and external heat, the cold never bothers. Ergo, staying warm is not a problem for me.

After about fifteen minutes of what seems like an hour of running, a sight comes into view that slightly troubles me from a distance. It appears to be a horse lying lifelessly on the ground. When I run up and stop next to the dead horse, I realize that this was my horse. A disturbing deduction that I can make concerning the horse's cause of death is that a carnivorous animal did obviously not kill it. There are wooden spikes projecting upward through the horse's body. There is one through its skull, one through its heart, a third through its liver, and a fourth and fifth through its lungs. The fact that the smell of blood is still an easily detectable scent and is still in a liquid state suggests that this has transpired only a few minutes ago. I remove my backpack from the horse's corpse, which, luckily, did not get crushed when the animal died.

Out of paranoia, I decide to see what exactly caused the horse to die. I lift head up to discover to my horror that the wood that penetrated through the horse's skull appears to be sprouting out of the ground. _Roots do not grow in this manner, regardless of the tree's species. Also, even if they did, I highly doubt that the horse would die from that. In addition, the wounds are to precise to be some freak accident…. There is only one logical explanation as to how the horse was killed. A wood elemental did it._ After deducing this self-imposed revelation, I instinctually materialize and summon my two fire-swords and look around with anxiety and fear at the premonition that a wood elemental is seeking me for some reason. It cannot be Father Bart because he is in Weselton. So, who is it?

"So," a rough low and eerie voice nonchalantly, "you are a fire elemental. And one that is so young yet full of experience and power…. Very interesting."

I move my eyes and head randomly and desperately hoping to by chance spot this unknown individual. I feel my body stiffen with anxiety and becoming rapidly agitated. I fear that there is little chance of this wood elemental of being amicable. "SHOW YOURSELF! STOP HIDING IN THE SHADOWS!"

Unfortunately, there is no response. There is only the rustling of the leaves on the forest's trees by an occasionally soft breeze.

"I _know_ that you are a wood elemental! Come _out_!"

Stepping out from behind a tree located behind me on the left side of the Stella Trade Route, I hear a man emerge. I look to find a sight that sends a chill down my spine for some unknown reason. The man is broad shouldered. His face possesses a very rough appearance accompanied by a short pointed mahogany-brown goatee, long shaggy hair, a very masculine-shaped nose, and emerald-green irises. The man's attire consists of a blackish-grey priest-like garment with a hood. Bizarrely, his foot-attire only consists of Roman sandals. It is difficult to determine; however, the man seems to be very muscular and appears to be in his early thirties. The man's skin tone is a dark hue of tan.

"Who are you?!" I inquire in a demanding manner.

"Why, Flamorin, don't you know?" He asks in a sarcastic and seemingly mocking manner.

"_How does he know my name? Well, I _was_ the Prince of Weselton. Ergo, discovering my identity is not much of a hassle or mystery."_ "No! Now tell me! Who are _you_?!"

The man gives me an uncomfortably mischievous grin. " My name is Sir Dultin Parintime the Wood."

Every muscle in my body tightens and I can feel my heart beating with a hastier beat. _"How is that possible?! Sir Dultin Parintime lived at least two hundred years ago, yet he is standing here before me and he appears to have barely aged!"_

"I am here to make a proposition with you, Flamorin, or an alliance if you would prefer to call it." The man takes a few casual steps towards me.

"Don't you dare come any closer!" I defensively and authoritatively dictate pointing my blades threateningly at Sir Parintime while gritting my teeth. For some unknown reason, being in this man's presence seems to instinctually arise primal anger.

He immediately halts his advancement towards me. However, this troubles me greatly. Dultin seems barely phased by my threat as if I am not significant enough to be a threat to him. "Do not be hasty, Flamorin, I am not here to fight you."

"Then, why _are_ you here?"

"I am here to amass and form a large group of elementals in the hopes of reviving the nation of the elementals of which will stand for ages unlike the original ancient one." Dultin expresses verbally to me in an almost prophetic or philosophical manner.

"What are talking about? There was never a nation of elemental in the history of Earth. You know that elementals are born randomly by parents of which possess no such abilities."

"I once thought the same thing. However, have you ever considered if one or both of the parents were elementals? I have discovered that elementals have a significantly higher chance of being conceived if one of the parents is an elemental. However, if both the mother and the father are elementals, their children are always guaranteed to be elementals when born. The degenerate humans, non-elementals, feared our powers even though Alsnarium, the nation of the elementals, was a very peaceful nation despite the destructive capacities. So, they secretively sparked and initiated what has been forcibly torn from pages of history as the Unforgivable War elementals clashed in what can only be described as a bloody massacre of which bloodbaths became a common sight in the mist of battle. It took place in two places of which today are called the Sahara and Gobi Deserts."

I do not lower more blades. Something in my mind is begging me not to trust him.  
"So, assuming what you say is true, why did you waist your time slaughtering innocent lithic trolls then suddenly 'disappear' without a reason?"

Dultin chuckles a little as if I told him something humorous while gingerly rubbing his beard. "I was simply looking for some animate _thing_ to practice my wood element upon. I stopped hunting the superstitious creatures when I found a cave where they stored ancient documents some of which are worth enough to make any peasant to someone of nobility. That is where I discovered the entire archive concerning the forgotten nation of Alsnarium. That is when I went into hiding."

"Then, why do you need me?" I ask because there is something that is vexing my mind relentlessly with thoughts of semi-paranoia.

Sir Parintime gives me a unnerving grin. "Your potential and skill with your element at your young age for an elemental is something that I have never seen in the past. In fact, I have seen an elemental, regardless of his or her affiliated element, possess as much power and strength as you. Well, if I exclude myself, it is true. You are no match for me Flamorin. So, why not join me? Who knows? Maybe we together and convince Elsa of Arendelle to abandon the governmental authority of being the queen of Arendelle. I am _fully_ aware of your current relationship with the ice elemental." His tone seems to pulsate with dark ambitions and desires, which makes me more fearful of the person standing before me. In addition, he _knows_ that Elsa is an ice elemental _and_ our relationship.

"What is your goal, Dultin? What do you want?"

"Genocide to the non-elementals. Think about it! We are the next stage of human evolution! Why should we subject ourselves to those who only possess authority and governmental influence but do not remotely possess the means of enforcing such powers without the insurance of self-security by others and never themselves? Join me Flamorin."

"…No…" My hands grip the handle of the self-summoned swords tightly.

"Hmmm? I think that I misheard you. What did you say?"

"NO! Neither Elsa nor I will join you in your barbaric and merciless crusade."

The man's right eye twitches madly and his entire body language turns into one of undeniable anger and vexation. "YOU DARE DEFY ME, BOY?! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY COUNTLESS LIVES I HAVE SLAUGHTER JUST TO TEST MY LIMITS?! YOU WILL DIE TODAY, FLAMORIN! AND THERE WILL BE NO GRAVE OR BURIAL FOR YOU!" The man outstretched his right hand and a lime-greenish mist of aura seemed to radiate from it.

I hear the rapid creaking and movement of wood getting louder from behind me. Turning myself around swiftly, I smash my right sword downward with severe force. It cuts cleanly through five tree roots of whose tips where sharp and shaped like daggers.

"Be on your guard!" Dultin shouts overconfidently at me as I hear the quick movement of running feet. I turn myself around to see Sir Dultin Parintime wielding an emerald greatsword attempting to slap me in the abdomen. Having little time to deflect the massive blade with my swords, I sidestep to the left and swing my right hand's sword crashing down into Dultin's blade changing the momentum. Taking the his vulnerability to my advantage, I swing the sword in my left hand at his left side attempting to cut him in the abdomen.

Suddenly, a thick wooden wall materializes and forms rapidly seeming to rise out of the ground. Instead of slicing through Sir Dultin like butter, the blade impacts the wood only managing to make severe spider-web-like cracks within it. I notice then that a fist is heading directly for my face with notably bone-breaking momentum behind it.

As if like second-hand memory or trained instinct, my elemental knight armor shroud rapidly manifests itself upon me. Thus, only thing that transpires is Dultin ending up with a bruised fist and severe unintelligible cursing words to himself.

Parintime gives me maniacal smile and chuckle. "Hehe. So, you have already utilized the elemental armor shroud. The knight armor shroud if I am not mistaken. Hehe. Yet, it pales in comparison to the elemental armor shroud that I have learned to summon at will." I notice at the last second his greatsword swing down upon me. I desperately jump backwards to avoid the harmful blow.

A minor earthquake is felt, as Sir Dultin Parintime seems to scream to the sky inhumanly loud as if in pain or torment. Numerous thick obsidian-black, ethereal mists arise from the ground and swirl around him in random, curved paths as if gathering some unseen energy or radiation of which surrounds the monstrosity of a man. "THIS IS TRUE POWER!"

Any plant life in the visible vicinity seems to rapidly die out as if the very life is being taken away from them. Dultin's sclerae and pupils morph from a marble white into a bloodshot-red. A full robe with a hood, opened sleeves, gloves, and (what appears to be) boots garbed him from head to toe of which is entirely black as night. The greatsword that he wields changes into a very dark green hue. "THIS IS THE DARK PRIMAL STATE!"

He runs at me with a speed of which no living terrestrial being should be able to achieve I notice, barely, that he is attempting to smash me with his greatsword again. Unfortunately, I have no time to dodge this time. I raise my blades slightly upward and protectively form an 'X' with the blades. The momentum behind Dultin's blade brings painful strain to my muscles within my arms. In addition, the momentum also causes me to fly a few feet backwards. Luckily, I am able to land safely land on my feet; however, there is a sudden constricting and ground-fastening upon my legs. Looking down, I find thick tree roots wrapping around my legs. I expel a large amount of igneous power of which turns into an inferno that temporarily enshrouds my body. Thus, the roots instantaneously turn into ash.

When the inferno dissipates, to my confusion and anxiety, Sir Dultin Parintime is nowhere to be seen. _"Where is—"_ My ponderous thoughts are quickly interrupted by a severe and indescribable pain within my left lung. Suddenly, I have difficulty breathing normally. Looking down, I find Sir Dultin's greatsword piercing through my chest and being painfully removed. I fall to my knees having no longer possessing the strength to stand up. My knight armor shroud dissipates quickly and I notice the blood that is slowly falling from my chest onto the ground. My fireswords fall out of my grasp onto the ground; however, the blades do not dissipate as if a testament that, as long as I live, they will stay within the realm of existence. I look up to find Sir Dultin Parintime's glowing red eyes starring down upon me with the same maniacal eyes.

"You are strong but not strong enough. After I am done with you, Flamorin, I am going to pay your friend, Elsa, a little _visit_." He then kneels and brings his head close to my left ear as my vision is now becoming more and more blurry. "And I will make sure to have little _fun _with her before forcing her to being the _mother_ of the _new era of the human race."_ The words he whispers into my ear arises a demonic and unforgiving hatred towards this poor excuse of a person. Every thought, every desire, and every will within my mind turns to one unified entity that chants and screams in feral rage for the suffering and death of this man, no _demon_ in human flesh, standing before me._ "He will not be forgiven! He _must _die!"_

"I…will…kill…you…."

"What?!"

"I…will…MURDER YOU!" The entire land trembles as if Earth itself fears for its own safety. Sir Dultin Parintime jumps far away from me looking at me in utter disbelief. A column of blaze completely enshrouds me reaching to height in the sky of which no castle's tower may hope to reach rapidly transitioning from the hue of normal fire into a darker hue of red. My fatal wound very quickly heals and disappears from existence. Every sense seems to become heightened to a level of which can rival that of any respective terrestrial animal. I can feel my fingernails more elongate and become denser and more dagger-like giving a truly feral appearance. When the column of blaze dissipates, my body remains shroud or clocked entirely in an aura of my element of which now possesses a blood-red hue. My heart is filled with unquenchable anger and hatred. Any dead tree within the vicinity seems to have spontaneously ignited.

"So," Sir Dultin Parintime laughs in an agitating maniacal laugh with a hint of nervousness. "_This_ is the forbidden phantom armor shroud. Too bad that—OOMPH!" Before the fiend can finish his pointless ranting, I charge at him with seemingly impossible and extremely superhuman agility and deliver a left-handed deadly sucker punch into his lower abdomen and send him flying into a several trees destroying them upon impact. Then, I use this demonic agility again to confront him with on his right side to deliver an igneous-driven helix kick.

Dultin gets back onto his feet again with surprisingly more ease than one would expect from someone who received such a physical strike, assuming that the person is able to survive the said attack. He spits out some bleed from his mouth of which seems to be heavy with iron. I am mere seconds away from smashing his skull with the leg. I scream with a primal and almost demonic roar as a sudden force repulses me from Sir Dultin Parintime. There is a black sphere that seems to surround and protecting him. However, it is not like some pathetic black sphere is going to keep me away from my self-righteous, malicious justice.

I mercilessly assault the black sphere with blurring agility punching, kicking clawing, and, eventually, throwing numerous heat-intense waves of fire at it hoping to shatter, weaken, or crack it; however, nothing seems to phase it. I quickly stop my assault when an annoying instinct seems to give me the devious idea that I will simply need to wait for the butterfly to come out of its cocoon. Pacing impatiently counterclockwise around the sphere, my eyes search desperately for any sign of weakness or for any opening or flaw within the dome.

After what seems to be endless minutes, the sphere slowly dissipates. Then, wooden needle projections seem to fly continuously in every direction at devastating velocities, yet they all vaporize before they can even touch my skin. However, everything within the vicinity does not remotely possess the durability to endure the barrage of wooden needles as my phantom armor shroud. Every tree and every stone is grind into merely dust. I slowly approach the fiendish wood elemental at the center. Fear and disbelief fills his eyes. His hands are outstretched and shaking while he is trying to maintain control of his elemental technique. "NOOO!"

In my right hand I gather, condense, and conglomerate my fire element into a dagger-like projection of which radiated with bright, hot, white light. I silence him permanently by thrusting the dagger-like projection at his heart going cleanly through his chest. Sir Dultin Parintime's dark primal state shroud instantaneously dissipates and clasps onto the forest floor lifelessly staring at me with those cold lifeless eyes even when he is no longer amongst the living.

The phantom armor shroud dissipates completely from me. Thus, I regain full control of my conscious and actions. The sight before my eyes horrifies and disturbs me. No one, not even Sir Dultin Parintime, desire to die in manner of which I have delivered it to him. The justification behind my actions was not in my full control, yet I cannot help but think that this might have been prevented.

Regardless, the past is the passed and you cannot amend or prevent what has already transpired. As I attempt to continue on my journey to Arendelle, I am suddenly overcome with extreme dizziness and tiredness. _"Darn it! I was in the phantom armor shroud for too long!"_ No! I must keep going. I must see Elsa. I must…see...El…s…a…. Everything turns black.


	13. Chapter 13: Elsa's Coronation

**Paradigm Shift: Elsa's Point of View**

* * *

I cannot believe that today is the day of my coronation as I stand before Bishop Leo Tinnitus of Arendelle with Anna standing beside me, and the many dignitaries and local people sitting in the pews of the Arendelle Chapel. However, Flamorin is not present for my coronation, which gravely saddens me.

Am I mad at him or heartbroken? No! In truth, I am _infuriated_ at the Duke of Weselton. He possesses a title of which any person present would agree does not earn him the recognition to be a dignitary of fact, many dignitaries, and even the castle guards, have humorously revered to him as being the Duke of Weasel Town. However, that is not important. The Duke claims that the reason that Prince Flamorin is unable to attend is due to the fact that is sickened with the flu. This is a red-handed lie. I have learned from Flamorin and from my own reasoning that we cannot become ill by ordinary diseases because of our powers. Flamorin's igneous powers make diseases unable to survive or bare resistance within his body. My ice powers make diseases unable to develop or multiply within my body due to conditions being unsuitable for infection. Ergo, I am going to _force_ the little tall dwarfish man to tell me exactly why he was unable to attend. As an elemental, my ice powers do not grant me the ability to tell whether or not someone possesses good or bad intentions; however, I almost have a sixth sense that the duke's presence is very suspicious. Regardless, I will _deal_ with him after the formal party following my coronation.

I am dressed in my usual formal attire and my sister is in her own conventional formal attire. In my eagerness, I reach carefully to grab the blessed ceremonial coronation objects being presented by the bishop. A soft nervous cough stops me from touch them. I realize it came from the bishop. "Your majesty. The gloves." the bishop says in almost a whisper. For a couple of seconds, I was slightly perplexed by the statement. Then, I realize that I am still wearing my gloves. Quickly, yet not hastily, taking off the gloves, I hand them to Anna who is trying not chuckle at my slightly embarrassing forgetfulness of keeping my gloves on during my coronation.

I take the two ceremonial objects in my hands and lower my head to allow the bishop to place the crown upon my head. I turn around to face everyone present in the Arendelle Chapel.

What am I feeling now? That is simple. It is eagerness, excitement, anxiety, and a minute amount of vexation, of which is because of the Duke of Weselton (which is more than likely to be renamed Wesel Town if he gains control of the city).

"Sem hon heldr inum helgum eignum ok krýnd í þessum helga stað ek té fram fyrir yðr...Queen Elsa of Arendelle." **(A/N: It is Old Norse for "As she holds the holy properties, and is crowned in this holy place, I present to you…Queen Elsa of Arendelle.")**

"Hail Queen Elsa!" people chant, as I try to not blush with all my willpower. Anna simply beams a proud and happy smile to me, which almost makes up for Prince Flamorin's unexplained and non-clarified absence…almost.

Nevertheless, I am extremely thankful for Flamorin right now. Why? Without him teaching me how to have a better understanding and better emotional self-control over my ice powers, I might have ended up being paranoid now fearing the worse. I have many things to taken him for doing for me without any expectation of selfish gain. That is why I love him so greatly and unquestionably and would do anything to assure his wellbeing as he would for me. Although we have only confessed our romantic love for each other less than two weeks ago, there is no denying or questioning the strength of our cordial bond. It is unshakable and true as the color of the sky on a calm and cloudless day is blue.

* * *

Luxurious and formal dancing music is played in the royal ballroom in which all the ambassadors and representatives of foreign kingdoms are gathered. Most are either dancing with a partner or simply standing or sitting having conversations about any possible subject.

"_I wish Flamorin was here."_

"Elsa?" Anna asks with a tone of eagerness. It is one of which is enough to remove me from my deep trains of thought and bring me back into reality.

"Hmmm? Yes, Anna?"

"Has Hans talked to you, yet?"

"Isn't that the Prince of the Southern Isles?" I do not like where this is going.

"Yeah…"

"_Why is Anna nervous? What did he say?"_

"What does he want?"

"He—"

"—wants to request the possibility of spending this afternoon with your majesty, Queen Elsa." A man in unarguably princely attire interrupts approaching Anna and me causally giving me a very gentleman-like bow. He possesses a slender, physically fit, lightly freckled, and pale-like appearance. His head possesses auburn hair in a stereotypical princely hairstyle with sideburns and moss-green irises. His attire consists of white suit with golden and red patterns with gold epaulettes, yellow undershirt, red sash, cream ascot, and black boots.

"_Great! A suitor! Mom warned me about this day. Yet, less than a day after I become queen?! My heart belongs to Flamorin as his belongs to me. Ergo, no suitor shall be winning my heart any time in the future."_

"I am sorry but the answer is no. My heart belongs to one man alone. And, as unfortunate as this may sound to you, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, you are _not _him." I state in a matter-of-fact tone with some volume of authoritativeness.

The prince before me seems dumbfounded and slightly embarrassed by my statement. "I'm sorry, Queen Elsa." The man bows in an apologetic manner. Then, I notice something slightly suspicious and peculiar about the manner of which his eyes move as if formulating something. "Then, with your permission, may I do so with your sister, Princess Anna."

"_Why does that seem slightly rehearsed? Maybe I am being a little too paranoid about him. However…."_

"That is fine, Prince Hans. However…" I intimidatingly and uncomfortably get close to the prince. "IF I find out that you harm or do anything inappropriate or uncivil with or to my sister in any manner or any combination of manners, I _can _assure you that you shall wish you have never met me. Am I _clear_?" I whisper this softly yet very threateningly and filled with venomous caution to him causing him to turn very pale.

"Y-Yes, Queen Elsa!" He and Anna live my presence and wind through the crowds. Anna smiles and waves a temporary good-bye wave to my and I wave back. Then, I lose sight of her and the prince amongst the many people present in the ballroom.

"_Maybe I should find this Duke of Weselton and verbally force him to tell me truthfully why Flamorin was unable to attend my coronation. If I do it during the party, he will be more likely to confess the truth being surrounded in a room full of people of significant political and royal influence."_

After about half of an hour of searching for the short duke, I find him conversing with two the dignitaries (whose names and affiliated representation seems to escape me).

"Herald Shortheim, I _need _to speak with you _now_." I say very sternly.

"What is it your majesty? Can't you see that I'm in the middle of a conversation?" The cockiness in the duke's tone slightly aggravates me.

"You lied to me earlier!"

"About what your majesty?"

"Prince Flamorin is _not_ sick. In addition, if the king and Queen of Weselton were to have somebody sent represent Weselton, they would have sent Prince Flamorin or someone else, _not_ you. In truth, Prince Flamorin told me that they do not hold much respect or trust in you. Is this not _true_? And where are King Ronald and Queen Heather? If you lie to me again, I will put the alliance between Weselton and Arendelle into question. Tell me the _TRUTH_!" My accusations and statements must have been said louder than I thought because now at least fifteen people present have stopped whatever they were once doing to watch the argument between the short duke and me.

"Well, I-I…" the once prideful and confident duke is now dumbfounded and nervous about is next choice of words.

"ELSA! ELSA!" That is Anna's voice. I turn around to see Anna running eagerly towards me seemingly full of hyperactivity and excitement with her hands locked with Prince Hans's.

"What is it?"

"Prince Hans and I are going to get married! Isn't that great?"

"_As much as I want to see Anna become married and find love in another, if I allow her to marry this prince, the consequences will be unforgiving. Though they will be happy in the beginning, the bond between them can most likely fall into progressing corruption and, possibly, hatred. I am sorry Anna. This is something that I can let transpire and be passive about it." _

"NO! ANNA! You cannot just marry someone the day you meet him! It is childish and irrational!" The entire room seems to become quiet. Everyone stops dancing. Everyone stops conversing. Every musician stops playing.

"Not if its true love! Love is an open door!"

"It is an open door only when lust is disguised love. I am _sorry_, Anna; however, I am _not_ blessing your marriage to this man! In fact, as Queen of Arendelle, _I forbid it_!"

"Well, maybe your feelings for Flamorin are simply lust and not love." Anna's words wound my heart feeling as if I can no longer tell if this is truly _my_ sister or a stranger who appears to be my sister. I feel the cordial pain of emotional isolation being to swell and manifest within my heart.

Prince Hans grabs my left hand and attempts to redirect my eye contact as I try to walk away. "Queen Elsa, maybe you need time to reconsider—" I tare his hands grasp off my arm and slap his face with my right hand causing him to nearly fall backwards shocking some people present by, most likely, my adamant and feral disproval and condemnation of a marriage between Anna and Prince Hans.

"WHAT IS THERE TO RECONSIDER?! Are you trying to destroy the bond with the only living family member?! Are _you_ trying to ruin her life by encouraging this irrational proposition to marry my sister the _same day_ you met her?!" I can feel tears beginning to form in my eyes despite my desperation to regain the willpower to not let it go. _"DOES THE CREATOR WANT ME TO ETERNALLY SUFFER?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!" _

"…Everyone…just…leave me alone…." My emotional self-control is degrading as vexation accumulates within my mind. I attempt to walk out of the ballroom with my head facing the floor trying not to make any eye contact with anyone present.

"Your majesty please!" The duke's plea destroys the remaining mental grasp that I have upon my emotional self-control to the accumulating vexation. I feel the coursing power of ice within me gather within the palms of my hands.

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" I fling a wave of ice that strikes the floor in front of Anna, Prince Hans, and Herald Shortheim. Then, immediately and spontaneously, a wall of spiking ice materializes and forms from the place where it struck the marble flooring. This startles everyone in the ballroom, including Anna.

"What sorcery is this?!" exclaims the Duke of Weselton in fear and disbelief while hiding behind one of his two personal Weseltonite bodyguards.

"I-I…I-I…" This is the only thing that I am able to say before my mind is clouded by paranoia-oriented thoughts. I no longer care about what befalls Arendelle or anyone. I no longer want the honor and duty bestowed upon me through heredity as the Queen of Arendelle. I no longer feel apart the familial or filial bond between Anna and me. I feel the dream that Flamorin and I promised to make a reality fracture and shatter into an uncountable number of shards being blown away by a raging wind.  
I run out of the ballroom as fast as one is able to in my current footwear. The only desire that shouts finitely throughout my entire mind is to leave Arendelle as quickly as possible. Eventually, I arrive outside where there is a large crowd of the populace surrounding the castle fountain. They all shout my title and name filled with praise of which only adds and accelerates my paranoia. There cheers turn into screams of fear. I realize their reason. The sky, which had been perfectly cloudless the entire day, is now quickly being covered in numerous clouds, blocking out the sun, and bring a slowly accumulating snowstorm into existence.

Nevertheless, I do not slow the slightest in my pace, even as I can her my sister's shouts to come back. However, my mind has been made up. I am leaving Arendelle and _never_ returning. Eventually, I arrive at the Arendellian harbor where I last saw Flamorin.

"Queen Elsa, please come back!"

"_How I am going to get away?! There is an entire river in my path! I cannot simply swim across it! …Or don't I even need to?"_ I am an _ice elemental_. I will simply _run_ across and on the river. Remembering my element manipulation lessons with Flamorin, I concentrate upon generate a large amount of ice to radiate rapidly upon my feet. I cautiously take the first step on the river and the water instantaneously turns into a thick layer of ice. Running on and across the river, ice continuously forms beneath my feet acting as stepping-stones. However, the ice continues to encase the entire river in a thick layer of ice. When I arrive at the other side of the river, I realize that I have plunged Arendelle into a freezing summer. However, Arendelle is no longer my problem and I am free to let my worries go.


	14. Chapter 14: Snow?

**Paradigm Shift: Flamorin's Point of View**

* * *

My ears are ringing and my vision is blurry as I gradually regain consciousness. I feel exhausted. Nevertheless, I force myself to get off the ground.

"_How long was I unconscious?"_

My senses and internal equilibrium gradually returns to normal. Considering that no animal has tried to devour my seemingly lifeless body while I was unconscious, I can my the assumption that I have been unconscious for less than one day and it appears that the time of day is dawn.

Looking around for my backpack, I surprisingly find it completely unharmed despite the chaotic battle between the wood elemental, Sir Dultin Parintime, and me yesterday. To my shock and somewhat horror, I find where Dultin died that is now only indicated by a significant-sized pool of blood that now stains the ground; however, there is no body.

"_W-Where's the body?!"_ I inspect the ground hoping to find signs of his body being dragged away by a large animal. Unfortunately, there are no such indications. Ergo, I can only assume that he somehow survived and retreated away to some untraceable location or else he would have taken the opportunity to kill me while I was unconscious.

"Searching for a rogue elemental will not benefit me. I need to get to Arendelle and see Elsa." I turn to leave and continue my initial journey towards Arendelle; however, the sight before me presents two revelations. First, there is snow on the ground and clouds making the sky overcast in manner of which one would normally associate with winter. This is truly bizarre considering that the current season is _summer_, not _winter_. Second, there is a red fox the size of a wolf with nine tails standing a few feet in front of me staring at me with a seemingly anthropomorphically eager facial expression.

"GAHHH!" The sight gravely startles me resulting the instinctually summoning of my fireswords in anticipation of a feral assault. However, as soon as I summon the swords, I release my grasp upon them feeling pain rise throughout my body causing me to clench my chest in desperation to relieve the aching pain causing the swords to immediately dissipate. My legs seem to die on me resulting in me falling forward. However, the weird thing is that when I hit the ground there is no addition pain. It is soft, extremely soft like fine and priceless fur.

"Oh no! Are you okay, Semus zin Flimoriya?" Although I do not know who is the owner of the voice, I can deduce that it is a feminine and full of mere concern.

"_Whose voice is that? Whoever she is, I can safely assume that she possesses no ill intentions or devious motives."  
_ "I'm fine. I guess I am a little worn out from fighting." I turn my head to face the woman instead to find the nine-tailed, wolf-sized vixen looking back at me.

"Hehe!" she chucks with a foxlike grin "I know. I saw the whole thing." I stare blankly at the vixen for what seems like ages, which is more likely only several seconds, trying to comprehend the face that there is an animal before me that is capable of complete human speech. She looks at me with a mere perplexed expression. "What?"

I jump back a few feet away from the large vixen. "Y-You can talk?!"

"Yep! I am not some fox if that is what you are thinking, Semus zin Flimoriya. I am what some people call a kitsune." She states in a matter of fact manner.

"_This is definitely not a normal summer by any stretch of the imagination."_

"Alright…So, what is a kitsuma?"

"It's pronounced kit-su-ne, Semus zin Flimoriya. A kitsune is basically a mystical being possessing nine-tails of which has extreme resemblance to a large fox that is relatively the size of a wolf. We are known for have bizarre powers of which each tail represents. However, the powers accessible to a kitsune are proportional to his or her age. Each tail's power accessible represents hundred years. So far, I am only able to manipulate and summon fire, but not to extreme as you can, Semus zin Flimoriya."

"…So, what should I address you as?"

She gives me a foxlike cheeky smile with her nine tails swaying softly in random yet seemingly synchronized motions. "My name is Akari, Semus zin Flimoriya."

"Okay...Why do you keep calling me Semus zin Flimoriya?"

"It's from an ancient language that my mother and father taught me when I was a little kit. It means 'Lord of Fire.' I respect you and a kitsune's respect is worth a hundred honors in some civilizations. And I shall accompany and protect you wherever you go, Master Flamorin!" Akari bows her head and kneels with her frontal legs.

For any other individual, such of an acknowledgement and verbal kindness would bring a smile to his or her face, especially one from a mystical being capable of speaking the language of which he or she speaks. However, this does not bring a smile of happiness to mine. The word 'master' in my mind can easily be viewed as a synonym for 'prince.' It is a honorary title of which brings back the horrendous memories of which I have only just experienced two days ago. The jester, although merely innocent, arises feelings of deep sadness and vexation mixed uncomfortably together within my heart.

I yearn to shed all the tears that I have inconveniently been unable to physically express. This kitsune may end up being either a helpful companion and friend or another individual whose death I will undesirably be witnessing.

I feel as if the only person on Earth of whom I can trust completely and unquestionably is Elsa. Without her, my life's path will be one that randomly sways and bends in search of a purpose or reason to continue existing in this life yearning to fill a non-fillable abyss within my heart. Aside from Sir Dultin Parintime, Elsa and I are the supposedly the last living decedents of elementals. This is a burden that only we can share alone. As much as my heart begs me to accept her generous offer, my mind keeps persuading me to push these emotions aside and continue my journey alone.

"Akari, I am honored." Her eyes light up like a young and excited child receiving a gift that she has always wanted. This makes it only difficult to continue. "However, I-I...must decline such an offer. I need to find Elsa and this is something that I must do alone."

Akari looks at me with a dumbfounded expression no longer bowing or kneeling as I proceed slowly back onto the Stella Trade Route to continue my crusade to Arendelle on foot. _"Maybe I should have accepted her offer. It might be beneficial to have someone able to fight along side me considering that Sir Dultin Parintime somehow survived from the unquestionably fatal blow. Maybe—"_

"OMPH!" A sudden force from behind causes me to fall forward on the snow that mysteriously covers the ground. Then, another force rolls me onto my back where I am face-to-face with Akari who is pinning me to the ground with her right frontal paw and her muzzle uncomfortably close to my face. Her facial expression is not one of anger or disgust but annoyance and playfulness.

"I am sorry Flamorin but I am not taking no for an answer. I am going to stick by your side no matter what transpires. Also, it is rude and unconventional to leave a lady in the woods alone without the accompaniment of a reliable and strong male chaperone." She winks at me playfully with that last comment causing me to blush slightly.

"Alright!" I disgruntledly say. "You can come with me!"

Akari immediately jumps away from me and starts jumping and running around me boisterously and happily. I take this opportunity to get back onto my feet and stand.

After a few minutes of her hyperactive excitement, she eventually comes to a halt and stands in front of me with an expression of wondering. "So, are you going after that big bad wood elemental?"

"_Wood elemental?! So, that does mean Sir Dultin Parintime is still alive. I can only pray and hope that he does not follow or come searching for me or even Elsa."_

"No, Akari, I am going to Arendelle to warn Queen Elsa of something dire. I guess it is safe for me to tell you that she is an ice elemental."

"An ice elemental! OH! I guess that lady did make that spontaneous snow storm."

"Wait! What do you mean?! You've seen her?!" My heart is racing and filled with both excitement at the possibility of Akari being able to lead me to Elsa and fear transpiring from the revelation that Elsa is responsible for creating this winter-weather in the middle of summer. If I remember correctly from my studies with Father Bart, an elemental will only unintentionally cause a rapid and unnatural change in the environment when subjected to extreme anxiety, fear, and burden-filled stress.

"Well, today, I saw a lady in highly elegant attire on the left side of the North Mountain. I'm not sure if I was hallucinating at the time but it looked like she created a castle constructed out of purely ice…. Wait…. You're in love with this Elsa… Oh my goodness! That is sooooo _romantic_!" I can feel my face becoming hot and red with embarrassment of how seemingly obvious Akari makes me sound with my intentions.

"_How on Earth is she able to deduce that?!"_

"Well, um, yes, er, I am. How are you able to tell that?"

She gives me a mischievous grin. "Deduction in subtile body language and fluctuations in speech is something that kitsunes take into excellence and take pride. I know that you are in love with Elsa because there is subconscious emphasis on the pronunciation of her name indicating a high regard for the individual. In addition, you seem so adamant about protecting her tonally and purely verbally. Ergo, this is an indication that she is either a close family member or friend or, more likely, someone you romantically love and lay your life down protecting. Am I correct?"

For a being that seems to be filled with the enthusiasm and spirit of a jolly and hyperactive child, Akari is probably the most observant and rational being that I have ever met. "Yes, that is actually very correct Akari. Actually, we have confessed our feelings for each other not long ago."

"Oh! Then, I will take you to her." Akari sits down with her belly prostrated against the snow-covered ground. "Hop on Flamorin!"

I can only assume that most people in my situation would jump at the chance to be a ride on a mystical creature's back. However, I am not one of those individuals. In addition, I cannot see how riding Akari (regardless of her size and unconventional capabilities) will result in me meeting Elsa quicker. Can I not simply follow Akari?

"Thank you Akari but I am more than capable of following you." I attempt to run forward and pass Akari to prove my point to only immediately be confronted with pain and soreness from both legs causing me to come to an abrupt halt and grasp them in an attempt to null the pain. "…I guess I spoke too soon." I get onto Akari. As soon as I am oriented on her, Akari stands up on all four legs.

"You may want to hold on tight to me if you don't want to fall off, Semus zin Flimoriya." She warns me. However, I am not entirely certain as to why she needs to state this, yet, not wanting to get into any worse situation than I am currently, I abide to her precaution.

She darts off at a speed that seems impossible for any terrestrial mammal, even a cheetah, to obtain. My eyes are not given an opportunity to adjust to the rapid acceleration of speed that Akari has now obtained. As a result, things pass by as merely blurs. In less than a ten seconds, we arrive at the side of a cliff that has a elegant ice staircase with a hand railing going to the top of the cliff.

I jump off of Akari who is panting heavily with exhaustion. Apparently, like a cheetah, she cannot maintain such a fast pace without succumbing to significant fatigue. Suddenly, a blinding white light radiates from her forcing me to shield my eyes. When the spontaneous light fades, I find Akari unchanged, except for her size. She is now the size of a conventional fox (assuming that a normal fox can have nine tails).

"What just happened Akari?"

"Well, it seems I used too much energy to get here quickly. As to why I am now this size? This is to allow me to recover faster than I would if I would maintain my normal size. Plus…" She leaps onto my shoulders and curls around the back of my neck.

"Hey!"

"I can rest and be your temporary _scarf_." Having said this, she immediately dozes into a content slumber.

I approach the staircase and examine it cautiously to make sure that it is safe to use. _"Of coarse it is safe! Elsa probably used it herself!"_ Having come to this conclusion I slowly and carefully ascend the ice staircase. Arriving at the top of the staircase, my vision is greeted with the sight of magnificent and beautiful castle made purely out of ice. Any emotions that are active and dominate until then are overridden with excitement and concern. I run a few steps forward. Suddenly, I hear Akari growling very threateningly.

"What's wrong Akari?" As if answering my question, there is rumbling and trembling coming from a seemingly ordinary pile of snow to the left side of the staircase leading to the giant dual doors leading into Elsa's castle of ice. However, the abnormality is that there is a large amount of snow accumulating to the said 'ordinary' pile of snow.

"_That cannot be a good sign.__"_


	15. Chapter 15: Marshmallow

The pile of snow before me begins to take form into the form of a vaguely humanoid giant. It can only be described as a gigantic muscular-like snow beast with ice fangs and claws, cyan glowing eyes, and ice 'armor' covering parts of his body with spike-like projections of ice along its spine (i.e. assuming that the thing actually has a spine). The ice-troll is approximately twelve to fifteen feet tall (if I were to guess) towering over Akari and me easily and glaring seemingly at us with annoyance.

"WHO DARE THREATENS THE CASTLE OF ELSA THE SNOW QUEEN?!" The snow creature deafeningly shouts in a masculine voice that seems to send pulsing sound waves through the cold air.

I can only assume that the being was created by Elsa to protect her. However, this also means that she now possesses the garment armor shroud. In addition, I find this creature's assumption that I have come all the way here (to practically nowhere) to threaten or possibly assassinate Elsa or even to possibly siege and claim this arcane castle to be gravely insulting and simply rude and intimidating.

"SPEAK NOW!" The creature bellows loudly with little patience.

"I am _Flamorin of Weselton_. I come to bring a warning to Elsa, who I love deeply, _not to bring _any threat, harm, or death to her or anyone. Stand aside!" I try to restrain my tone to one of formality, yet my vexation is still able to take some presence in my authoritative request yet somewhat humble request. As for Akari, she is still unnerved and growling threateningly at the snowy giant before us with her fur undergoing piloerection.

The ice giant simply laughs haughtily at my response. "The Snow Queen does not have _anybody_ on her side. My sole duty is to keep out _anyone_, _except_ the Snow Queen. Also, why should I listen to a puny human? I am Marshmallow the Guardian of the Ice Castle! _Nobody_ shall see Elsa the Snow Queen, unless they get through me, which no one never will!"

Despite the current situation at the moment, Akari can help but laugh at the fact that such an intimidating creature possesses the name "Marshmallow," which also belongs to a soft, fluffy, squishy, and slightly sticky candy. I, however, feel very perplexed and dumbfounded by the creature's name.

_"Really? It could have picked any name in the world for itself and it chose 'Marshmallow'? How is that remotely intimidating?!"_

"Haha! Marshmallow! Haha! That is the funniest thing that I have heard in years!"

"YOU THINK THAT MY NAME IS FUNNY?!" creature's pride seems to have been severely wounded by Akari's exclamation.

"No! Please excuse my friend, here. We are only here to see Elsa. I need to-."

"NO!" Marshmallow roars, "No one is allowed to see the Snow Queen. If you want to see Elsa the Snow Queen, you'll have to get through me!" The creature, although lacking very detailed facial features, wordlessly expresses his readiness and caution towards Akari and me being ready to strike us if necessary.

_"I guess that this thing will not listen to reason or rationalization. I can only assume that this thing will only negotiated through brute force."_

"Akari…"

"Hmm?"

"I need you to get a safe distance away from Marshmallow and me." Akari jumps off my shoulders in front of me and scolds me like I said something idiotic.

"Flamorin! You can't fight that thing! Your body still has not fully recovered from your skirmish with that wood elemental!" She shouts vexatingly.

"…I know Akari. Nevertheless, I am more concerned about Elsa's wellbeing than my own. And, truth be told, I have enough power to hand that thing!"

"I know, Flamorin but—"

"DON'T PRETEND I NOT HERE YOU DUMB TALKING MUTT!" Marshmallow yells angrily at Akari aiming its large ice claws on its left hand at her. Acting on instinct, the knight armor shroud envelopes my body in its familiar form as I run between Akari and Marshmallow and spread by arms out protectively for Akari. Although the elemental armor shroud successfully protected Akari, it did not completely negate the assault by the giant. I can feel bruises on both my shoulders and my abdomen; however, the shroud is seemingly intact and undamaged. However, the elemental armor shroud does not have the same brightness or vibrancy as it had the first time that I used it as well as the second. In addition, for some reason the helmet never formed.

The blow, although not causing any cut or serious harm, still stings and hurts to the degree of which makes me cringe slightly from the sudden physical pain. Nevertheless, I mentally forbid myself from externally expressing my body's true extent of fatigue and strain.

"Flamorin!"

"Akari! GO NOW!" Akari, assumingly dropping her argument with me, she hastily runs away to distance herself from Marshmallow and me as much as possible and necessary.

"_I guess Akari is right. My body has not fully recovered from my encounter with Dultin Parintime. Nevertheless, no matter the cost, I will see Elsa even if that means I am forced to fight in my current state. I can endure this pain!"_

"GRRR! So, puny human have powers like Snow Queen." The creature glares vexatingly at me. "Yet...THAT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE!" Marshmallow brings down a fist down upon me with its right hand intending to crush me with mere strength and speed.

I do not move from my original position. Instead, I reach my arms out to catch and intercept the giant's fist. Catching its right fist, the creature stares at me with a seemingly dumbfounded facial expression of which reveals pure surprise and a hint of fear. Although, externally, the momentum of the caught punch does not seem to have succeeded in obtaining any degree of injury, the blow arises significant strain and pain to the muscles within my arms. My face betrays the extent of my physical pain afflicted by the intercepted of the potential severe blow by the ice-troll.

"What?! Impossible!"

A sudden and severe pain surges throughout my body causing my body to tremble by the mere magnitude of the physical pain. Nevertheless, I force myself with willpower to keep moving and fighting for Elsa's wellbeing, even if it means endangering my own. Pouring my igneous element into my hands I dig my fingers hard into the giant's fist and start all an intense wave of heat to pulsate causing it to cry in pain as its right hand is instantly melted into a mere puddle of water. The giant takes several steps away from me while clenching its right arm with its still intact hand with pain and vexating anger looking upon me with unmistakably killing intent, which makes me feel slightly uneasy.

The creature glares at me with enraged emotions of sheer anger. "YOU WILL PAY!" A mist of snow congregates at the end of its stump of a hand and rapidly begins to solidify into a curved, blade-like, ice projection.

Deciding to not wait for the worst, I begin gathering my fire element and forming it into a sphere in the palm of both hands. A large ball of energy radiating with heat that can only compared with molten rock manifests in the palm of my hands. They constantly spin, turn, and spiral with fire-filled energy. I run at Marshmallow and take a large leap into the air aiming both rotating fire-spheres at what would supposedly be its abdomen. However, the creature manages to negate my attack by hitting me with icicle-like projectiles. Although the projectiles does not penetrate through my knight armor shroud, the force somehow cause the armor to severely fracture and crack. Then again, elemental armor shroud was already significantly weaker than it was the first two and only times that I was able to summon and make it manifest. Almost as soon as my feet land on the ground, the knight armor shroud fragments and dissipates. I feel inexpressibly exhausted. My vision is slightly blurred as if there is not enough energy left in my body to support normal eye-sight; my breathing becomes heavier and painful bordering hyperventilation; and I no longer possess the strength to make my body move or use my element.

I fall onto my knees. Looking up I see Marshmallow point his blade at me preparing to deliver the final blow. "Is_ this...the end?"_

"NO! FLAMORIN!" Akari yells at me as I hear sprinting towards me desperately.

Suddenly, a very loud boom is heard from the gigantic doors at the entrance of the ice castle flying open quickly. This draws the attention of the ice-troll and mine as well as Akari's. Emerging from the castle is Elsa; however, thanks to her ice garment armor shroud and her mildly changed hairstyle, her appearance seems to be radicalized compared to the attire I have seen traditionally seen her wearing.

Her hair in a left side braid is woven with snowflake incrustations, and wisps of her bangs slicked back on top of her head. There is purple eye shadow that can distinctly be seen around her eyes. Her lips possess a dark pink lipstick upon them. The off-the-shoulder crystal-blue dress with a right knee-high slit, a crystallized bodice, powder blue sleeves, long transparent glitter trail cape, and ice high heels are all part of her ice garment armor shroud, of which I can innocently confess, that looks stunning as well as inexpressively beautiful.

She looks at me with disbelief that is mixed with joy and relief. "...Flamorin?"

Elsa gives a look of inexplicit vexation towards the creature that I was fighting not long ago. "Marshmallow!" Elsa yells seemingly annoyed at the creature. "WHY WERE YOU ATTACKING PRINCE FLAMORIN OF WESELTON?! I TOLD YOU NOT TO ATTACK AN INTRUDER OR DEFEND ME IF THE INTRUDER WAS NAMED FLAMORIN?!" She gives the ice-troll a look of inquiry while yelling with rage-filled irritation.

The ice-troll cringed looking at Elsa with an expression of submission. "I-I w-wasn't thinking, your m-majesty..."

"Elsa..."

"Flamorin! Don't worry! I got you." Akari comes scampering up in front of me, now in the size that I originally first met and saw her in. "Are you able to place your arm on me?"

"I think so."

"Good. Then, do it."

Reluctantly, I stand up and place my left arm on Akari. Almost instantaneously, I feel my strength suddenly coming back to me along with my igneous element.

"W-What how did you do that?"

She gives me the biggest cheeky grin that have every seen. "Hehe! It's one of the many things that kitsune are able to do."

_"Well, that's a good enough explanation for me...I guess..." _I notice Elsa running down the ice stairs and runs towards me.

"Flamorin!"

"Hey, El-UMPH!" She practically jumps on me giving a tight hug and tackling me onto the ground, forcing me to remove my arm from Akari, with her on top of me snuggling me fondly as a child would with his or her favorite stuffed animal.

"Even though I do not mind you cuddling me Elsa, I think we should get inside to talk about what transpired to us these past several days." Elsa blushes with embarrassment from the awkwardness of our position even though the only ones who are able to witness this said situation are Akari and Marshmallow. Akari is chuckling while Marshmallow has a blank and perplexed fixated upon his face as if trying to figure out a finite reason behind Elsa's and my interaction with each very analytically. Nevertheless, I can feel my cheeks also blushing with heat.

Elsa removes herself from me to stand up and offers her hand to help me stand up as well. She looks at me in the eyes fighting back tears as she looks into mine with her own. She hugs me again while also burying her face into my chest no longer able to hold back the restrained tears that desperately desire to express the sorrow within her heart. "This is not a dream. Is it? You're actually here?"

"Yes, Elsa. It's really me. You are not dreaming." I gently caress her back attempting to calm her.

"Um, Flamorin?"

"Yes, Elsa."

Elsa removes her head from my chest; however, she does not release her embrace with me. "How did you find me and, for that matter, why are you here. And why weren't you at the coronation? And why is there a unusually large, talking fox with you?"

"I'M NOT A FOX! I'M A KITSUNE! THERE'S A DIFFERENCE!" Akari interjects very defensively, of which almost causes me to laugh.

"One question at a time, Elsa. I can explain everything, but let's get inside first."

She smiles with amusement. "Hehe! Alright, but I expect you to be able to answer every question that I have for you."

"Fair enough." I gently grasp her right hand with my left. We slowly walk together towards Elsa's ice castle with Akari following in suit behind us.


	16. Chapter 16: Regret and Hope

**Paradigm Shift: Anna's Point of View [Flashback: Yesterday]**

* * *

As I, along with many Arendellians and foreign ambassadors, watch Elsa disappear into the forest on the other side of the Alder River, my mind is filled with regret as the wintery storm that Elsa casts upon Arendelle fills the once warm summer air with a cold, wintery and bitter breeze.

"The Queen! She's a witch! She has put a curse upon this land!" The Duke of Weasel Town, er, Weselton, exclaims in an over-exaggerated and overly dramatic expression of fear and worry. The short, old guy looks at me with a glare and points a gloved finger accusatively at me. "You!" he yells in vexation. "You knew about this! You _knew_ that she possessed this sorcery! Didn't you?!"

"Yeah? I knew about her powers. What's your point?"

"SHE NEARLY KILLED ME!"

"She was acting in _self-defense_! I emotionally backed her into a corner! Also, if I remember correctly, _your_ contribution did nothing but make things _worse_!" I try to fight back the tears as I come to realize fully what I have done to Elsa.

"It's alright, Anna." I suddenly feel a comforting hand upon my right shoulder from Hans. I look at him and smiles warmly at me. "I believe you. If Elsa was an evil witch, she would have not hesitated to attack us or even weigh her options."

"ARE YOU MAD?! SHE'LL KILL US ALL" The Duke interjects angrily, as his left eye seems to twitch madly and erratically.

Hans gently removes his hand from my shoulder and walks over to the Duke with a very crossed expression fixed upon his face. "If that is true, none of us should be alive now. However, the truth remains that we are still alive. And I will _not_ tolerate your continuous vilifying of the Queen of Arendelle!" Hans turns away from the Duke to face everyone who is present. "We are going to bring Queen Elsa back no matter what it takes! And until then Princess Anna and I shall be temporarily in charge of Arendelle!"

"WHAT?!" the short man, er, Duke, interjects with disbelief. "_You _have absolutely _no authority_ to be in charge of Arendelle! According to the Charter of Arendelle and Weselton—"

"That does not apply to you!" I angrily interrupt him, causing the short man to become completely speechless. "According to that document, since Elsa is not present the authority of Arendelle is granted to either Prince Flamorin or me. NOT YOU! And since I am the only one present, I can grant Prince Hans this authority as well!"

_"Why did I say those horrible things to Elsa, my own sister? Maybe…I was a little sudden and unreasonable about marrying Prince Hans the same day that I met him. Maybe I should have waited a few months before ask for Elsa's approval. I need to find her to set things right!"_

I am not sure if I am imagining things but I swear for less a second that Hans had a very devious small grin...But he does not have anything to gain through this. Does he? No! Prince Hans would never do anything to betray me. He is my true love after all!

* * *

**[Time Skip: Present]**

* * *

Yesterday, I had the Arendellian soldiers post reward flyers around Arendelle. It will award anyone who comes forth with valuable information pertaining to Elsa's location. Sadly, there has been no luck so far.

To get my mind off of Elsa, I decided to take a relaxing stroll around the market place of Arendelle. Well, truth be told, it is hardly a relaxing walk, or even gets my mind off of Elsa, considering how cold it is outside thanks to this freezing weather.

"UMPPH!" This is the only sound that I am able to utter as I accidentally run into someone causing me to fall and clench my eyes shut as a simple reaction. However, the said person catches my right hand before I am able to fall onto the ground.

"Ow! Jeez! Did anyone every tell you that should watch where you're walking?" I open my eyes to see the person who would soon feel the force of my anger for such a rude and uncivilized interjection. Before my eyes is a stocky, muscular, somewhat handsome, fair tannish man around the same age as me, but slightly taller, with light freckles upon his face and possessing shaggy yet well-kept blond hair and light brown eyes. His attire consists of a dark gray chemise and pants, brown sweater, red cloth-like belt wrapped around his waist, dark brown gloves, slightly curved and pointy boots, and a dark gray cap.

"Me?! I should be the one asking you!"

The man seems to be suddenly struck with guilt as if coming out of a daydream. "Er, sorry, miss." He rubs the back of his head nervously. "It's just that I am just having a rough time since this snow storm appeared. It is severely hurting my business."

"And what exactly is your _business_?"

"Ice harvesting."

"I'm confused. Shouldn't this weather make your trade more simple?" I inquire.

"Some people would think that; however, no one is going to be mad enough to want ice in weather as cold as it is now and buying ice would be entirely pointless if you could acquire it yourself by simply going outside." His expression unexpectedly changes from one of sincerity to one of slight embarrassment yet seriousness. "Where are my manners?" He outstretches his right hind to me. "My name is Kristoff Bjorgman." He says this with a cheeky smile.

Despite the primeval urge for me to knock some sense into him, I decide against it and choose to be polite. So, I grab his hand gingerly and shack it. "Nice to meet you Kristoff. My name is Princess Anna."

Kristoff, the man that I have just met, looks at me with slight confusion. "So, you're the next in line for rule of Arendelle?"

"Um, yeah…" I respond shyly having not expected a reaction like this from him or much less anyone.

"That's awesome!" He exclaims as if it was the most interesting thing that he has heard for a long time.

"Yeah… Well, I better get back to the castle—."

"Wait!" Kristoff exclaims grabbing my hand preventing me from leaving. He seems very anxious about whatever it is that he wants to ask me. "U-Um…"  
_"Please don't ask if I'm single!"_

"Do you know what is up with all the posters around here about someone named Queen Elsa?"

_"Well, at least he didn't ask me that…"_

"Well, yes," I respond slightly shyly being unprepared for having someone that I have only just met ask me such a question. "She's my sister." I force myself to break eye contact with Kristoff. Even though Hans and many others have tried convincing me that I cannot hold myself to be fully accountable for Elsa fleeing Arendelle, there is nevertheless a guilt that has embedded and dug its roots into my heart that softly and mockingly whispers the truth. I am the reason Elsa fled. I am the reason that Elsa lost control of her powers. That self-control that Elsa boldly requested Flamorin to help her obtain so that she could better severe the people of Arendelle knowing she was in control of her powers and her powers were not controlling her was utterly destroyed and obliterated by me alone. I bury these emotions and cast them aside. Now is not the time to be expressing such emotions.

A feel a glove-covered hand comfortingly and gingerly grasp my left shoulder. "Anna, are you okay?" I look up to see a man that I have only just met minutes ago becoming worried and concerned for me.

I gently brush his hand off my shoulder. "Yeah. It is just that…we had a, um, disagreement about a matter and…I guess that I went too far and severely hurt my sister's feelings…and she ran away from me and everyone else here. When she ran away, she caused this enigmatic snowstorm of wintery weather to appear. That just sounds crazy. Doesn't it?"

"Hahaha! Actually, compared to the number of ridiculous things that I have heard from people, this one seems very believable. Actually, it would explain something that I saw before I came to Arendelle."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Well, on the way here, I saw a castle erect itself into existence and appeared to be made of glass or solid ice. I thought that my imagination was getting the better of me at the time, even though it only vanished when it left my line of sight; however, assuming that your sister possesses these ice powers, it would make sense that the castle is made of ice and your sister created it."

My heart is filled with joy for this revelation, yet my mind is skeptical at what Kristoff is telling me. _"Is he serious or is he trying to make fun of me?"_

"I am being serious!" I irately yell loud enough to catch the attention of some random Arendellian pedestrians.

"So am I!" he exclaims shaking his head nervously and waving his arms defensively.

"_I am not sure, but, somehow, I feel like I can trust what he is saying. I could finally apologize for the things I said to her….But, shouldn't I tell Hans? NO! I need to go with this Kristoff if he knows where this castle that Elsa create is now so that I can resolve things with Elsa as soon as possible."_

"Um, do you know where you saw this _ice castle_, Kristoff?" I ask pretending that I still do not believe him.

"Of course I do! It's on the North Mountain on the—"

"Then, take me there."

"Sure, but shouldn't you at least tell someone that your leaving? After all, you are the—"

"There is _no time_ for that! We need to leave now!" At this point, I feel like that I am practically bagging him to take me there.

"Alright! Alright! I'll take you there! But don't blame me if it is not there or you happen to somehow hurt yourself on the way there."

"_I will make things right with you, Elsa. I promise."_


	17. Chapter 17: Revelations

**Paradigm Shift: Flamorin's Point of View**

* * *

As we enter into the main entrance room of the ice castle through two gigantic doors, my eyes are presented with a sight of wonder and fascination. The walls and ceiling, although made entirely out of ice, are opaque, yet with no evidence of impurities being present. The floor is a smooth and, despite one would expect from ice, is walk-able due to the presence of a desirable amount of friction, although, as far as I am able to see, it is as smooth and fine as any marble flooring that one would find in a castle. Directly ahead of me, there is what appears to be a fountain made of ice with the appearance of having been frozen in time and its moment being captured in a solidified state. There are two ice staircases of which huge the walls with an ice railing only on the left side for the right staircase and only on the right side for the left staircase. The staircases seem to get wider as they progress upward. Both end up on the same floor, of which another ice railing overlooks the entrance on a level platform. Behind this railing, there is another door that is made entirely out of ice; however, the ice does not have enough transparency to betray what lies behind them. Other than the gothic-like and almost architectural pillars and chandelier-like ice structure hanging from the angular ceiling, the castle seems actually empty as if it was merely a sculptor or architect's masterpiece instead of a dwelling for someone to reside.

Despite the ice castle's beauty, it can easily be overlooked as being a ridiculous amount of space for two elementals and a, um, kitsune to be residing. Regardless, the castle is not important at the moment. The matter of importance is that Elsa and I are together again. Together, we are free from betrayal. Together, we are free from royal and political responsibilities. Together, we are free to be who we want to be. And together, we have a home along with Akari, my new vulpine friend.

"So, um, Elsa?"

She turns to look at me with a seemingly exaggerated smile attempting to mask something. "Yes, my Flamorin?"

I feel my cheeks slightly blush from Elsa possessively stating my name. "I am glad that I was able to find you, Els—OW!" I feel something nip me on left leg. Looking down, I find a very irritated Akari accusatively glaring at me with malevolent eyes. "Of which would not have been possible without you, Akari."

"You better be thanking for me." Akari states in a matter-of-fact manner.

Elsa merely giggles at Akari's antics of acquiring recognition from me for her deed. "What were you saying?"

"I was wondering why you are out here in this castle instead in Arendelle ruling as the newly appointed queen."

Elsa's facial expression transitions rapidly from one full of glee and euphoric gratification into one of which immediately gives me the impression that her mind seems not to be in the current moment being enveloped in emotional hurt. She seems very reluctant to look at me directly eye-to-eye and, instead, her eyes are fixated upon the icy floor. "…I-I…I'm not comfortable talking about it now, Flamorin." She looks at me very apologetically. "I'm sorry." Her eyes return back towards the ground as if fearful of creating too much eye contact.

I place my right hand on her left shoulder, grasping it gently in an attempt to comfort her. The sudden physical contact seems to surprise her in which Elsa quickly brings her attention back to me. "It's alright Elsa. You do not even need to tell me anything at all if the subject makes you uncomfortable. I was just curious. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me."

"You don't need to apologize, Flamorin. I _want _to tell you; however, I just still don't feel comfortable discussing it, yet. But, there is something that I want to ask you."

"What is Elsa?"

"Why weren't you able to attend my coronation?"

"Can we sit down somewhere? I am not sure how long this is going to take."

"Sure. Just hold a second." Elsa extends both of her arms somewhat away from her body with her palms open. Mists of ice begin to congregate in front of her like an obedient icy cloud. Without any warning, the mist of ice sprays onto the icy floor and almost instantaneously solidifies and accumulates upward taking shape under Elsa's guidance. In a moderately rapid pace, the ice begins to form into an anthropogenic construction of an artistically cushion-like loveseat made out of ice. "There! Well? What do you think, Flamorin?"

"It's perfect Elsa!" I exclaim while sitting down on the left side of the loveseat. Elsa's garment shroud shortens into a length that is comparable with a formal dress. Then, she takes the spot next to me to sit down upon. She looks at me with overly excited giddiness and joy before fondly wrapping her arms around me and resting her flawless head upon my shoulder.

"Thank you! Now you can tell me _exactly why _you never made it to my coronation."

"Then, are you willing to tell me what led you her on the North Mountain?" I notice that Elsa's embrace to slightly tightens.

"Um, I promise that I will eventually, Flamorin…but…" She turns her head away from me shyly.

"It's alright Elsa. You do not need to tell me if you are not comfortable discussing it." I say in a soft tone trying to comfort her as much as possible.

_"I wonder what happened to her? Now that I think about it. Why is Anna not with her? Did something happen to her in Arendelle? Or, maybe, she does not know what happened to Elsa. I really want to know but not at the cost of Elsa's wellbeing. Whether she tells me or not is her choice to make alone."_

"So, what happened Flamorin?" I feel my heart being overwhelmed with deep sorrow at the utterance of this seemingly simple question bringing back memories of which I wish were lies. Memories that I wish were not of such tragic events. I do not shed a tear at this, even though my heart begs me to let go of this unexpressed emotion.

"Coup happened, Elsa."

"A coup by who? Please tell me. Do not leave me in the dark. Let me help you." She says while gently placing her soft, warm and comforting right hand on my left cheek attempting to encourage me to make eye contact with her. Out of fear, however, I try not look at her directly in the eyes in order to maintain my composure to explain the horrendous occurrence behind coup in Weselton.

"It was that devious and traitorous Duke, Herald Shortheim. He was responsible for the coup. He sent assassins in an attempt to murder me; however, I managed to escape from them. When I went to make sure my parents were okay, they…they were being held hostage by their very own Weseltonite soldiers. That is when that fiendish Duke revealed himself to me and divulged his maniacal plans behind his coup.

"Apparently, when I got shot by one of the assassins bolts, it was covered in a poisonous substance of which began to take affect as the Duke struck me an evil deal. He was willing to offer the antidote to the poison that was affecting my body only if I became subjected to him as one of his generals or die with my parents as the poison slowly kills me. Assumedly, you and I are not the first elementals that he has seen in his lifetime.

"When I rejected the coup, he…he….he…." At this point I find myself not being able to hold back my the sorrow of the belated emotional pain of witnessing my own mother and father being heartlessly murdered in front of me and the horrendous memory of the revelation of their deaths. I start to sob and grab Elsa into a desperate hug.

She remains stiff for a few seconds before placing her own arms around me and gently caresses my back with one of her hands. "It is alright, Flamorin." She whispers softly to me. Eventually, I am able to regain some composure and calm down and Elsa slowly and carefully moves out of the embrace as my desperate hug upon her loosens. She looks at me directly in the eyes and this time I am not reluctant to do the same. Her eyes, although betraying some sorrow, reveal complete empathy for me causing me to smile at the comfort of having someone so close and understanding to me as Elsa.

"…D-did he…um…m-make them…y-you know…?" Elsa stutters, as she seems to hesitate to find the correct way to ask me a sensitive question without having to bring back such painful and unforgiving memories back into my mind. Nevertheless, memories are memories. They are not easily forgotten whether desirable and happy or undesirable and dark. These memories are the undesirable and dark variety and they are no exception.

"Yes…he did…right in front of me." I pause to take in a deep breath before my mind and line of vision wander into the memories of which I force myself to tell aloud. "After that, I lost control of myself. I experienced that primal state."

"So, like what I have right now with this, er…What was it called again?"

"I think (if I remember correctly) that yours is called a 'garment armor shroud'. However, that was not the one that I experienced. The one that I experienced is called the knight armor shroud.

"The only thought I had was that anyone involved in the coup, anyone who knew about the coup yet said nothing, and anyone who supported the coup must pay. I was willing to see this wishful desire by any means. Nevertheless, this urge was almost immediately replaced by another wishful desire."

"What was that?"

"To warn you and save you from that unforgivable, poor excuse of a duke. Since he knew that I was an elemental, I feared that, if he found out (or already knew) that your are an elemental, he would try to assassinate you also or even force you to become one of his subordinates."

"Wouldn't that be suicide? Arendelle and Weselton have an alliance with each other. Doing something with that much psychopathic idiosyncrasy would cause an immediate termination between any trust and alliance between Arendelle and Weselton. Wouldn't it, Flamorin?" Elsa gives me a look of disbelief as if hoping somehow or someway that the things that I am divulging are not entirely true or are merely slight exaggerations of my fears.

I probably am looking at her with the most serious facial expression that I have shown to anyone until now. "Considering that it did not matter that I _was_ the Prince of Weselton or even that my parents are the King and Queen of Weselton, if the opportunity seemed optimal to him, it would be difficult to imagine him _not_ taking advantage of the opportunity to seize you." I look at her in the eyes with some hesitation. "I am sorry having told you this."

Surprisingly, Elsa seems to be filled with joy. "No, Flamorin." She gives me a peck on my left cheek. "I am glad that you told me this!"

"R-Really?"

"Yes! Now, I do not feel like leaving Arendelle was a selfish decision. Since that dwarfish Duke does not know where I am, and thanks to Arendellian law, they cannot name someone to be the new king or queen of Arendelle until after exactly 2 weeks have passed since a ruler or rulers' absence or disappearance without notice prior to him, her, or them leaving Arendelle's established territory. In addition, the assumed posthumously named king or queen must be of the same bloodline or of the closest bloodline. In other words, without me there, that Duke cannot gain control of Weselton without arousing suspicion."

I just look at her with a dumbfounded expression fixated upon my face. "Wow…"

"What?"

"Nothing. It is just that I am surprised that you memorized that much of Arendellian law." I explain in a playful manner.

"Hehe! Well, you shouldn't be since you were the one that helped me. Remember?"

I chuckle a bit at this. "Yes, I do, Elsa. But, aren't you, at least, worried about Anna?"

There was a sudden and uncomfortable silence within the ice castle as Elsa's mood rapidly shifted from one filled with joy to one filled with either emotional pain or cordially felt betrayal. After what seems to be forever, Elsa looks at me with a very adamantly serious facial expression.

"How about you finish your story. Then, I will tell you what transpired in Arendelle of which led me here, Flamorin." She states with monotonic apathy.

"_I hope something did not happen to Anna while I was at Weselton and, inconveniently and unavoidably, fleeing Weselton. Nevertheless, I should not be jumping to any conclusion before Elsa even tells me what transpired._

"S-Sure." Still taken by surprise by Elsa's rapid transition of mood.

I tell her the rest of what happened: the second attempt of the Duke's minions trying to kill me, the hundred soldiers that threatened to kill (and then amassing a devastating power of which incinerated some of the traitorous soldiers into dust and dealing with the remaining foolishly brave soldiers), being nearly murdered by my own instructor in swordsmanship (Sir Longfield the Champion of Weselton), and being saved by Father Bart who turned out to be a wood elemental. Although I did explain how I managed to meet up with Akari, I purposefully left out my encounter with Sir Dultin Parintime feeling the urge and inclination that now is not an appropriate time to be discussing _that_. Elsa seems to have enough worries at the moment. I do not want to add to those worries.

"So, are you telling me that you were able to fend off a hundred soldiers thanks to your fire element as an elemental?" She asks with curiosity and concern.

"One, I told them I had no intention of fighting them and implied only a desire to leave. Two, once they saw what happened to the soldiers that tried assault and charge blindly at me, a ridiculous majority of them fled and ran away leaving me with only a handful to confront. It certainly was not easy nor 'a walk in the park'. And three, I am not proud of it."

She blushes after saying this. "S-Sorry. It's simply such an amazing and unheard deed that I am having a little difficulty believing it. That is all." She says almost hesitantly while redirecting her attention to the icy floor as if unsure of how to handle my experience and what I _managed_ to _do_.

"Do you hate me now, Elsa?" trying to keep my confidence as my own paranoia attempts to excavate its way into my train of thought and alter my behavior forcing myself to look in a random direction hoping to maximize the possible of avoiding direct eye contact with the woman that I love sincerely and unquestionably. Nevertheless, who would not be paranoid about I know that we are both elementals; however, I cannot help how such a eye-opening revelation may or may not affect another's view of yourself. "I mean, I killed people with my own powers. Am I a just a monster? Why didn't I just—"

_SLAP!_

The sound echoes throughout the ice castle a hand slaps me on my right cheek with surprising force but not hard enough to leave a mark or to cause noticeable harm. Elsa suddenly pulls me into a tight hug. "_Never, _no matter what happens, think that I will ever hate you, Flamorin! I am just happy that you managed to flee Weselton alive. You only killed them because they did not leave you with a choice." She starts caressing my back gently in an attempt to comfort me.

"But Elsa—MMPH!" My protest is silenced and my mind is brought back to a sense of soberness as Elsa kisses me affectionately on the lips. I return the favor and kiss her with as much affection back to Elsa understanding her concern of me. I do not know how long we kissed but, when we finally pulled away from each other, it felt like a non-measurably amount of time.

When the kiss ends, Elsa looks at me directly in the eyes that seem to radiate with her trust, love, care, and affection for me and I cannot help but to smile happily at her with a light chuckle, which she returns with a smile of her own and her distinct and cute giggle. "I am sorry, Elsa. I guess that I have become so paranoid as to what people that I don't even know view me as that I have forgotten the one' that truly love and care about me are the only ones that matter in the end." Feeling my anxiety and worries leave me, I playful put my hand on Elsa's cheek and caress it gently. "Especially you, my love."

Elsa blushes deeply before, almost as quickly, the pigmentation on her face turns back to its normal hue and starts laughing and slides off her newly made ice-couch and roles on the ice floor with laughter that would make a hyena easily jealous. This causes me to chuckle and break into a laughter of my own, having never seen Elsa react to something humorous with this intensity of laughing.

* * *

**A/N: *BOOM!* Yeah! Baby! I'm back! In addition, I am working on Chapter XVIII now! I am sorry if there is not as many "jolly" moments in this chapter compared to prior chapters. However, rest assured, there will be some comical relief in the following chapter. Until then, thanks for reading!**

**\- A. J. F. Link**

**A/N P.S.: Going to Walt Disney World for vacation has really been helpful in finding inspiration and stronger drive for this story.**


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